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wrongful

adjective
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wrong·​ful | \ ˈrȯŋ-fəl How to pronounce wrongful (audio) \

Definition of wrongful

1 : wrong, unjust
2a : having no legal sanction : unlawful
b : having no legal claim a wrongful heir
Other Words from wrongful Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Learn More about wrongful

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Other Words from wrongful

wrongfully \ ˈrȯŋ-​fə-​lē How to pronounce wrongfully (audio) \ 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 West had testified about bite marks in other cases that have been overturned, including the wrongful convictions of men in the rape and killing of two 3-year-old girls in Mississippi. — Emily Wagster Pettus, Star Tribune, "Man gets new trial after discredited bite-mark testimony," 27 Aug. 2020 Floyd’s death along with the wrongful deaths of Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor led to nationwide protests over the summer. — Tyler Dragon, The Enquirer, "Carlos Dunlap opens up about experiencing racism, wants Cincinnati Bengals to do more," 24 Aug. 2020 Tamia’s family filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against the Cleveland police department and 22 officers involved in the pursuit. — Evan Macdonald, cleveland, "Teen charged in crash that killed 13-year-old girl during Cleveland police chase to be tried in adult court," 17 Aug. 2020 Among the industry’s biggest goals is for the federal government to block residents and their families from suing nursing homes for wrongful deaths and other malpractice claims — even those that have nothing to do with COVID-19. — Jesse Drucker, BostonGlobe.com, "Nursing Homes With Safety Problems Deploy Trump-Connected Lobbyists," 16 Aug. 2020 Critics have dissected her record from that time with a focus on her office’s punitive response to truancy in public schools and stubbornness in cases of wrongful convictions. — Nick Martin, The New Republic, "Can Kamala Harris Earn the Trust of Indian Country?," 14 Aug. 2020 Since Mosby took office in 2015, her Conviction Integrity Unit has reversed wrongful convictions nine times. — Tom Jackman, Washington Post, "Men who wrongly served 36 years for murder sue Baltimore police, homicide detectives, alleging pattern of misconduct," 13 Aug. 2020 Adel has made numerous changes, including creating a program to review potential wrongful convictions and dismissing high-profile prosecutor Juan Martinez following a pattern of unprofessional behavior. — Lauren Castle, The Arizona Republic, "Which Democrat will face Maricopa County Attorney Allister Adel?," 4 Aug. 2020 As for the other claims — disability discrimination, age discrimination, wrongful discharge — the judge believes those claims are subject to anti-SLAPP. — Eriq Gardner, Billboard, "Ex-'Simpsons' Composer Gets to Advance in Lawsuit Over Firing," 25 Aug. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'wrongful.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of wrongful

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Time Traveler for wrongful

Time Traveler

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

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Statistics for wrongful

Last Updated

9 Sep 2020

Cite this Entry

“Wrongful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wrongful. Accessed 19 Sep. 2020.

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More Definitions for wrongful

wrongful

adjective
How to pronounce wrongful (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of wrongful

: not legal, fair, or moral

See the full definition for wrongful in the English Language Learners Dictionary

wrongful

adjective
wrong·​ful | \ ˈrȯŋ-fəl How to pronounce wrongful (audio) \

Kids Definition of wrongful

1 : wrong entry 1 sense 3, unjust
2 : unlawful

wrongful

adjective
wrong·​ful | \ ˈrȯŋ-fəl How to pronounce wrongful (audio) \

Legal Definition of wrongful

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

Other Words from wrongful

wrongfully adverb
wrongfulness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on wrongful

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for wrongful

Nglish: Translation of wrongful for Spanish Speakers

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