wrongful

adjective

wrong·​ful ˈrȯŋ-fəl 

1

: wrong, unjust

2

a

: having no legal sanction : unlawful

b

: having no legal claim

a wrongful heir

wrongfully

ˈrȯŋ-fə-lē 

adverb

wrongfulness noun

Synonyms of wrongful

• unlawful
• illegal
• criminal
• illicit
• felonious

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

According to ProPublica, more than 18,000 immigrants filed federal lawsuits alleging wrongful detention between January 2025 and February 2026. —Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 10 Apr. 2026

As the first plaintiff in the class-action case, Gomez is demanding a trial by jury as well as declaratory and injunctive relief—that Nike rectify its wrongful actions—as well as an award of punitive damages for herself and other signatories of the suit. —Kate Nishimura, Footwear News, 7 Apr. 2026

OpenAI is now facing seven wrongful-death lawsuits, which allege that ChatGPT prompted several suicides and a murder. —Ronan Farrow, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026

Opening April 9; The Fear of 13, the wrongful conviction drama starring Adrien Brody, played eight previews at the James Earl Jones, filling 88% of seats and grossing $870,954. —Greg Evans, Deadline, 31 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing wrongful

• wrongful birth
• wrongful death

Kids Definition

wrongful

adjective

wrong·​ful ˈrȯŋ-fəl 

1

: wrong entry 2 sense 1

a wrongful act

2

: unlawful

wrongful possession of another's property

wrongfully

-fə-lē 

adverb

wrongfulness noun

Legal Definition

wrongful

adjective

wrong·​ful ˈrȯŋ-fəl 

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