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

On Friday, the Fourth Circuit rejected the disability discrimination, failure-to-accommodate and wrongful discharge claims. — Chase Jordan, Charlotte Observer, 25 Aug. 2026

Denver has 160 lawyers The two lawsuits were filed by Jessica Calderon, a former Denver city employee, and Everett Martinez, a current Denver city employee, who separately allege wrongful treatment and retaliation by the city. — Brian Maass, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026

The mother of a 25-year-old man who was fatally shot by Lenexa police officers in June 2025, has filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against the city and the police officers accused of shooting the man. — Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 21 Aug. 2026

This, Berlinger believes, is the kind of thinking that ends in wrongful convictions. — Elisabeth Garber-Paul, Rolling Stone, 16 Aug. 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