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

New video shows the moments leading up to the violent and wrongful arrest of a Brooklyn man during an NYPD drug sweep last week. —Lisa Rozner, CBS News, 20 Apr. 2026

Such claims allege that someone’s injuries were the result of negligence or the wrongful act of another person and can be a precursor to a lawsuit. —Ryanne Mena, Daily News, 15 Apr. 2026

Stollings later sued the university for wrongful termination; the parties settled the case after Texas Tech agreed to pay her $740,000, including attorneys’ fees. —Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 14 Apr. 2026

In March, West was found liable by a Los Angeles Superior Court jury over unpaid wages and wrongful termination involving his $57 million Malibu mansion. —Christine Pelisek, PEOPLE, 14 Apr. 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