Synonyms of wrong

wrong 1 of 4

adjective

1

as in unacceptable

falling short of a standard

there is something wrong with this cake—it has a funny taste

Synonyms & Similar Words

• unacceptable
• poor
• lame
• bad
• deficient
• flawed
• terrible
• horrible
• disastrous
• awful
• pathetic
• bastard
• unsatisfactory
• suboptimal
• dreadful
• off
• wretched
• brutal
• from hunger
• ill
• wanting
• sour
• inferior
• lacking
• defective
• inadequate
• substandard
• lousy
• crummy
• bush
• rotten
• subpar
• wack
• dissatisfactory
• useless
• punk
• under par
• insufficient
• crumby
• below par
• worthless
• miserable
• paltry
• short
• gross
• faulty
• common
• bush-league
• damnable
• atrocious
• abysmal
• detestable
• lesser
• deplorable
• unspeakable
• horrendous
• egregious
• vile
• abominable
• stinky
• shoddy
• reprehensible
• mediocre
• sucky
• flagrant
• gnarly
• bum
• crappy
• execrable
• odious
• mean
• valueless
• cheesy
• trashy
• bitchin'
• sleazy
• coarse
• second-rate
• low-grade
• skimpy
• rubbishy
• shabby
• low-rent
• meager
• meagre
• villainous
• miscreant
• fake
• scurrilous
• junky
• miserly
• spare
• stingy
• scanty
• counterfeit
• phoney
• sham
• phony
• skimp
• niggardly
• cut-rate

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• okay
• acceptable
• fine
• adequate
• satisfactory
• OK
• standard
• all right
• great
• decent
• better
• perfect
• tolerable
• respectable
• classical
• excellent
• classic
• superior
• mean
• passable
• wonderful
• divine
• special
• choice
• splendid
• sufficient
• top
• terrific
• neat
• superb
• prime
• marvelous
• marvellous
• dandy
• noble
• fabulous
• heavenly
• par excellence
• sensational
• fancy
• grand
• exceptional
• superlative
• stellar
• keen
• banner
• swell
• first-class
• slick
• fair
• premium
• nifty
• average
• boss
• sterling
• capital
• useful
• unsurpassed
• minimal
• suitable
• A1
• mediocre
• worthy
• high-grade
• borderline
• groovy
• first-rate
• top-notch
• middling
• jim-dandy
• crackerjack
• tip-top
• bang-up
• supernal
• high-test
• satisfying
• unexceptional
• gratifying
• so-so

2

as in incorrect

having an opinion that does not agree with truth or the facts

I'm sorry, but the latest research proves you wrong

Synonyms & Similar Words

• incorrect
• mistaken
• erroneous
• all wet
• full of it
• confused
• inaccurate
• false
• misguided
• misled
• untrue
• misinformed
• inexact
• deluded
• deceived
• duped
• tricked

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• right
• correct
• true
• accurate
• exact
• precise
• informed

3

as in inappropriate

not appropriate for a particular occasion or situation

has a knack for saying just the wrong thing

Synonyms & Similar Words

• incorrect
• inappropriate
• unsuitable
• improper
• unhappy
• unfit
• irrelevant
• unfortunate
• amiss
• out of place
• unseemly
• incongruous
• bad
• out of the way
• unacceptable
• inconsistent
• infelicitous
• perverse
• unbecoming
• inept
• inapt
• untoward
• indecorous
• inapposite
• awkward
• unapt
• graceless
• naughty
• malapropos
• forbidden
• inapplicable
• incompatible
• sinful
• immaterial
• extraneous
• untimely
• mismatched
• inopportune
• uncongenial
• unseasonable
• prohibited
• blameworthy
• unsatisfactory
• irrelative
• barred
• blamable
• disallowed
• censurable
• proscribed
• gauche
• outlawed
• ungraceful
• banned
• misbecoming
• interdicted

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• correct
• right
• appropriate
• proper
• suitable
• happy
• meet
• fitting
• becoming
• relevant
• relative
• applicable
• fit
• timely
• fortunate
• apt
• felicitous
• compatible
• pointed
• opportune
• genteel
• permitted
• decorous
• material
• pat
• harmonious
• congenial
• seasonable
• acceptable
• apposite
• okay
• authorized
• adequate
• fine
• seemly
• satisfactory
• befitting
• endorsed
• approved
• OK
• all right
• promoted
• allowed
• kosher
• licensed
• supported
• decent
• germane
• sanctioned
• respectable
• tolerable
• apropos
• encouraged
• commendable
• passable
• exemplary
• creditable
• balanced
• blameless
• consonant
• irreproachable
• indorsed
• abetted
• congruous
• companionate

4

as in erroneous

not being in agreement with what is true

her answer that Thomas Jefferson was the second president of the United States is wrong—it was John Adams, of course

Synonyms & Similar Words

• erroneous
• incorrect
• inaccurate
• false
• misleading
• untrue
• invalid
• inexact
• off
• distorted
• untruthful
• unsound
• off base
• deceptive
• fraudulent
• specious
• awry
• fictitious
• fallacious
• illusory
• amiss
• counterfactual
• spurious
• lying
• delusive
• dishonest
• invented
• deceitful
• mendacious
• unproven
• delusory
• askew
• untested
• unconfirmed
• fabricated
• made-up
• trumped-up

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• correct
• right
• true
• proper
• accurate
• valid
• exact
• sound
• precise
• factual
• demonstrated
• confirmed
• perfect
• tested
• established
• errorless
• veracious
• proven
• impeccable
• flawless
• faultless
• letter-perfect

5

as in immoral

not conforming to a high moral standard; morally unacceptable

was caught doing something wrong

Synonyms & Similar Words

• immoral
• evil
• unlawful
• bad
• sinful
• dark
• vicious
• vile
• wicked
• rotten
• improper
• obscene
• ugly
• corrupt
• illegal
• unethical
• cruel
• nefarious
• villainous
• infamous
• offensive
• unauthorized
• iniquitous
• cursed
• unrighteous
• dirty
• unsavory
• incorrect
• nasty
• condemned
• prohibited
• mean
• ill
• forbidden
• naughty
• contemptible
• sick
• disreputable
• objectionable
• atrocious
• dishonest
• despicable
• reprehensible
• fallen
• unhealthy
• infernal
• blameworthy
• sordid
• base
• ignoble
• perverted
• depraved
• loose
• snide
• pernicious
• ungodly
• degenerate
• discouraged
• miserable
• censurable
• unwholesome
• debased
• unclean
• barred
• noxious
• pestilential
• lousy
• libertine
• dissolute
• unseemly
• debauched
• outlawed
• proscribed
• unscrupulous
• blamable
• indecent
• scrofulous
• low
• erring
• disallowed
• unprincipled
• evil-minded
• wretched
• errant
• banned
• dishonorable
• vulgar
• unbecoming
• curst
• low-minded
• execrable
• cussed
• reprobate
• indecorous
• interdicted
• defiling

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• right
• good
• moral
• ethical
• just
• high
• decent
• honorable
• legitimate
• honest
• righteous
• virtuous
• legal
• sublime
• noble
• upright
• correct
• permissible
• permitted
• lofty
• reputable
• elevated
• scrupulous
• principled
• authorized
• proper
• licensed
• endorsed
• approved
• allowed
• promoted
• supported
• decent
• sanctioned
• clean
• perfect
• white
• exemplary
• high-minded
• encouraged
• innocent
• pure
• commendable
• blameless
• seemly
• law-abiding
• worthy
• creditable
• decorous
• wholesome
• guiltless
• immaculate
• unobjectionable
• indorsed
• irreproachable
• spotless
• venerable
• respected
• unerring
• abetted
• incorruptible
• chaste
• inoffensive
• uncorrupted
• esteemed
• lily-white
• squeaky-clean
• unfallen
• upstanding

wrong

2 of 4

noun

ˈrȯŋ 

1

as in bad

that which is morally unacceptable

any reasonable person should be expected to know the difference between right and wrong

Synonyms & Similar Words

• bad
• evil
• badness
• sin
• ill
• evilness
• sinfulness
• immorality
• villainy
• evildoing
• iniquity
• darkness
• deviltry
• heinousness
• vileness
• wickedness
• atrocity
• enormity
• satanism
• corruption
• rot
• diabolism
• iniquitousness
• decay
• canker
• devilishness
• balefulness
• depravedness
• cancer
• squalor
• devilry
• perversion
• fiendishness
• abomination
• atrociousness
• taboo
• indecency
• degeneracy
• scurrility
• anathema
• tabu
• scurrilousness
• depravity
• pervertedness
• malefaction
• debauchery

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• right
• good
• morality
• virtue
• goodness
• integrity
• honesty
• decency
• rectitude
• righteousness
• probity
• uprightness
• virtuousness

2

as in injustice

unfair or inadequate treatment of someone or something or an instance of this

trying to right all the wrongs in the world

Synonyms & Similar Words

• injustice
• offence
• injury
• insult
• disservice
• unfairness
• raw deal
• inequity
• unjustness
• shaft
• affront
• offense
• outrage
• slight
• indignity
• slur
• beef
• grievance
• complaint
• put-down

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• justice
• fairness
• equity
• equitableness
• cricket

wrong

3 of 4

adverb

as in badly

off the desired or intended path or course

all of our carefully laid plans have gone wrong

Synonyms & Similar Words

• badly
• incorrectly
• awry
• astray
• afield
• wrongly
• mistakenly
• improperly
• amiss
• inappropriately
• inadequately
• insufficiently
• faultily
• unpromisingly

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• right
• well
• perfectly
• aright
• correctly
• properly
• favorably
• rightly
• appropriately
• suitably
• auspiciously
• promisingly
• fittingly

wrong

4 of 4

verb

as in to harm

Synonyms & Similar Words

• harm
• victimize
• hurt
• work (over)
• harass
• rough (up)
• torment
• persecute
• torture
• injure
• sandbag
• oppress
• burn
• beat (up)
• violate
• outrage
• molest
• mess (up)
• mistreat
• misuse
• bully
• mess over
• manhandle
• abuse
• brutalize
• mishandle
• ill-use
• ill-treat
• maltreat
• kick around

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• care (for)
• foster
• cherish
• nurture
• baby
• favor
• spoil
• cater (to)
• indulge
• gratify
• humor
• pamper
• coddle
• mollycoddle

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun wrong contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of wrong are grievance, injury, and injustice. While all these words mean "an act that inflicts undeserved hurt," wrong applies also in law to any act punishable according to the criminal code; it may apply more generally to any flagrant injustice.

determined to right society's wrongs

When might grievance be a better fit than wrong?

The words grievance and wrong are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, grievance applies to a circumstance or condition that constitutes an injustice to the sufferer and gives just ground for complaint.

a list of employee grievances

In what contexts can injury take the place of wrong?

Although the words injury and wrong have much in common, injury applies in law specifically to an injustice for which one may sue to recover compensation.

libel constitutes a legal injury

Where would injustice be a reasonable alternative to wrong?

The synonyms injustice and wrong are sometimes interchangeable, but injustice applies to any act that involves unfairness to another or violation of one's rights.

the injustices suffered by the lower classes

Examples of wrong in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

However, experts warn that many people take too much melatonin or take it for the wrong reasons. —Maggie O'Neill, Verywell Health, 7 Oct. 2024

But what happens if this world-class assistant gives the wrong advice or, even worse, flat-out lies? —Anand Shah, Forbes, 7 Oct. 2024

Noun

But, a company willing to right (or quite literally write) those wrongs is a reputable one. —Jonathan Limehouse, USA TODAY, 15 Aug. 2024

The video received major positive reactions from netizens who praised Boosie and T.I. for teaching their kids right from wrong. —Marc Griffin, VIBE.com, 25 Sep. 2024

Adverb

Something is going wrong in the mighty U.S. economy. —Neil Irwin, Axios, 2 Aug. 2024

And there was this very kind of glowing view that was presented to a lot of white evangelicals for many years about the history of the country and a sense that anything that was going wrong in the country was a result of falling away from that, falling away from Christianity. —ABC News, 20 Mar. 2024

Verb

When Eric fully embraces his powers and begins to slaughter those who wronged him, some of the kills are admirably gross, but many feel especially gratuitous, carried out at the expense of the tenderness and fragility of his courtship of Shelly. —Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 22 Aug. 2024

The man from Phoenix drove to Orange County with a cache of handguns, AK-47s and orders to steal tens of thousands of dollars from two men who wronged his employer. —Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 25 July 2024

Phrases Containing wrong

• rub the wrong way