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

In all, the Tribune identified more than 320 lawsuits in the last decade for which the city hired at least one private firm to defend it in federal court against a wrongful conviction allegation. —Joe Mahr, Chicago Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026

Robert Gruendel filed the complaint in federal court in California, claiming wrongful termination after raising safety concerns with CEO Brett Adcock and chief engineer Kyle Edelberg in September 2025. —Dylan Butts, CNBC, 26 Mar. 2026

The United States declared Afghanistan a state sponsor of wrongful detention earlier in March, urging the Taliban to release Coyle and other hostages. —Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 25 Mar. 2026

The Fear of 13, the wrongful conviction drama starring Adrien Brody, grossed $474,131 for three previews at the James Earl Jones, with attendance at 98% of capacity; opening night is April 15. —Greg Evans, Deadline, 24 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