wrong 1 of 4

adjective

Definition of wrongnext
1
as in unacceptable
falling short of a standard there is something wrong with this cake—it has a funny taste

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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

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3
as in inappropriate
not appropriate for a particular occasion or situation has a knack for saying just the wrong thing

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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

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5
as in immoral
not conforming to a high moral standard; morally unacceptable was caught doing something wrong

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

wrong

2 of 4

noun

ˈrȯŋ How to pronounce wrong (audio)
1
as in bad
that which is morally unacceptable any reasonable person should be expected to know the difference between right and wrong

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

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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

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wrong

4 of 4

verb

as in to harm

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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

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of wrong
Adjective
Independent institutions exist because the incentives are too important – and the consequences of getting it wrong are too severe – to rely entirely on the organizations with the most at stake. — Andrew Freedman, Fortune, 8 Aug. 2026 Maybe trying to get EV adoption going in the US via the full-size pickup was the wrong approach. — Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 7 Aug. 2026
Noun
Hernandez said, however, critics like Brown have the record wrong, and that she is not tied to any pro-Israel interests. — Kyle Martin, Mercury News, 3 Aug. 2026 But Saturday afternoon, Vitello saw a wrong that needed to be righted. — Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2026
Adverb
Dispatchers told paramedics over the radio, however, that the man landed wrong and possibly broke his leg. — David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 13 July 2026 There are just too many things that can go wrong that cross national borders. — Dana Taylor, USA Today, 23 June 2026
Verb
This wasn’t an opportunity to defame someone or make this about how I’d been wronged. — Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 5 June 2026 Trump accidentally made the case that when the government’s policies cause harm, reparations should be paid by the government to make those who were wronged whole again, or that they should be compensated in some way. — Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 21 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for wrong
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wrong
  1. unacceptable
  2. incorrect
  3. inappropriate
  4. erroneous
  5. immoral
  6. bad
  7. injustice
  8. badly
Adjective
  • Still, only 28% of readers said that AI use is unacceptable in all of the circumstances presented by the survey.
    — Cameron Pugh, Christian Science Monitor, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Intervene Intervene means several signals—or one sufficiently consequential event—indicate probable deterioration or unacceptable outcomes.
    — Gerald J. Leonard, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of unacceptable
Adjective
  • The fact that the scoreboard was incorrect, Guccione told a pool reporter after the game, does not play a part in the ruling.
    — Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2026
  • The counterweight to that allure is emotional intelligence, the instinct to notice when the numbers are accurate, but the feeling is incorrect.
    — Olatunde Badmus, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of incorrect
Adjective
  • The home, along Norris Avenue in the northern Arden-Arcade area, has sparked opposition from neighbors and local officials who say its location near multiple schools and in the middle of a residential neighborhood is inappropriate.
    — Carmela Karcher, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Hochman said Flores simply could have taken notes on the inappropriate comments and turned them in to superiors or the independent inspector general, which strikes me as either sweetly naive or disingenuous.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of inappropriate
Adjective
  • However, the rollout of these changes is marred by application glitches, payment calculation errors, erroneous delinquency notices, and massive backlogs for loan forgiveness programs.
    — Adam S. Minsky, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026
  • The source said the Post’s report that such a conversation had been arranged was erroneous.
    — Amber Harding OutKick, FOXNews.com, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of erroneous
Adjective
  • Neither Agamemnon nor Menelaus grasp that their actions toward their wives were immoral.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 29 July 2026
  • Some rabbinic readings attribute Lot’s hesitation to leave Sodom to his immoral greed and inordinate wealth.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 July 2026
Definition of immoral
Noun
  • In addition to public goods, AI will also create public bads.
    — James Broughel, Forbes.com, 8 June 2026
  • Naturally, the meeting is a flop because no one was prepared, and their spontaneous ideas are frankly fireable-offense bad (a baguette bag shaped like a baguette for Paris?
    — Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 18 Dec. 2025
Definition of bad
Noun
  • That question circulated across the United States six years ago as the country reckoned with racial injustice in the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd, including who is represented by, or excluded from, our public symbols.
    — Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026
  • This summary does an injustice to the originality and the sophistication of Tregenza’s way with narrative form.
    — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of injustice
Adverb
  • In short, a project purchase done badly will leave you as one more creditor in the line, owning a shedload of unrealized ambition.
    — Benjamin Maltby, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Addam’s heroics at Tumbleton aside, things are going quite badly for Rhaenyra.
    — James Grebey, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of badly

Phrases Containing wrong

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written up
wrong
wrongdoer
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Cite this Entry

“Wrong.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wrong. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of wrong for Spanish Speakers

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