wrongful

adjective

wrong·​ful ˈrȯŋ-fəl How to pronounce wrongful (audio)
1
2
a
: having no legal sanction : unlawful
b
: having no legal claim
a wrongful heir
wrongfully adverb
wrongfulness noun

Examples of wrongful in a Sentence

He is suing his former employer for wrongful termination. charged with wrongful possession of narcotics
Recent Examples on the Web Eight of them went on to file wrongful termination charges with the National Labor Relations Board, which ultimately decided to pursue litigation, and filed its complaint two months ago. Jessica Mathews, Fortune, 5 Mar. 2024 Its formidable goals are to upend wrongful convictions, help those for whom small fines are mammoth roadblocks, and work toward what seem like commonsense reforms once somebody says them out loud. Neal Rubin, Detroit Free Press, 3 Mar. 2024 Last year, the Wahls dropped claims for disability discrimination, retaliation and wrongful termination. Winston Cho, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Feb. 2024 The department does not track outcomes from the hotline or have information on how many investigations concluded there was wrongful instruction, department spokesperson Rick Medina said. Nick Sullivan, The Arizona Republic, 22 Jan. 2024 Related article These teams work to overturn wrongful convictions, freeing innocent people from prison. Ed Lavandera, CNN, 23 Feb. 2024 The Idaho man best known for a wrongful murder conviction and his efforts to change Idaho law will be making a TV appearance Friday three months after his death. Sally Krutzig, Idaho Statesman, 22 Feb. 2024 Every wrongful conviction that is undone leaves behind a group of individuals who had a role in sending that innocent person to prison and who must now contend with their conscience: the detectives, prosecutors, judge, jurors. Jennifer Gonnerman, The New Yorker, 16 Feb. 2024 Those claims are related to whistle-blower protection violations, breaches of duties, wrongful transactions and false filings. Melissa Chan, NBC News, 16 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wrongful.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of wrongful was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near wrongful

Cite this Entry

“Wrongful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wrongful. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

wrongful

adjective
wrong·​ful ˈrȯŋ-fəl How to pronounce wrongful (audio)
1
: wrong entry 2 sense 1
a wrongful act
2
: unlawful
wrongful possession of another's property
wrongfully adverb
wrongfulness noun

Legal Definition

wrongful

adjective
wrong·​ful ˈrȯŋ-fəl How to pronounce wrongful (audio)
1
: constituting a wrong
especially : injurious to the rights of another
a wrongful act or omission
2
: unlawful
remained in wrongful occupation of the property
a wrongful occupant
wrongfully adverb
wrongfulness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on wrongful

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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