wrongful

[ rawng-fuhl, rong- ]

adjective

1. unjust or unfair:

   a wrongful act; a wrongful charge.

2. having no legal right; unlawful:

   The court ruled it was a wrongful diversion of trust income.

wrongful

/ ˈrɒŋfʊl /

adjective

1. immoral, unjust, or illegal

Derived Forms

• ˈwrongfully, adverb
• ˈwrongfulness, noun

Other Words From

• wrongful·ly adverb
• wrongful·ness noun
• un·wrongful adjective
• un·wrongful·ly adverb
• un·wrongful·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of wrongful¹

Middle English word dating back to 1275–1325; wrong, -ful

Example Sentences

The partners then deepened their relationship with a national contract, according to a wrongful termination lawsuit by a former BaronHR employee.

From New York Times

The initial investigation into her death lead to one of Britain's longest ever criminal trials, followed by the wrongful conviction of three men.

From BBC

Supporters of corroboration argue it is an important safeguard against wrongful convictions.

From BBC

She is suing Hallmark's executives for wrongful termination, age and disability discrimination and defamation, People Magazine reported.

From Salon

Pushing the idea of “restorative justice,” he vowed to expand efforts to review wrongful convictions and prosecute police misconduct.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• illegitimate
• illicit
• improper
• reprehensible
• unethical
• unfair
• unjust
• unlawful