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

The theory does not turn every workplace disagreement or questionable management decision into a wrongful-termination case. — William Jones, Sacbee.com, 2 Oct. 2026

The sons of Pineda, another cleaning-crew member in the van, filed a wrongful-death lawsuit as well. — David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026

In August, Six Flags settled a wrongful-death lawsuit after a 22-year-old man died after riding the roller coaster in 2022. — Victoria Craw, Washington Post, 30 Sep. 2026

There have also been multiple cases of ALPR errors leading to wrongful police stops or instances of the technology being abused, according to a recent CBS News investigation. — Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 29 Sep. 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