wrong 1 of 4

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
4
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

wrong

3 of 4

adverb

wrong

4 of 4

verb

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
Claiming persecution becomes more believable when it is coupled with the righteous indignation of the wronged. Lubna Zeidan, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025 Roberson said the court system is where those who may have been wronged can — and should — turn for resolution. Kristine Phillips, IndyStar, 2 July 2025
Noun
Most will buy too late, sell too early, or own the wrong side. Jim Osman, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025 Some would argue that there are plenty of other reasons to think that harassing an animal is wrong. Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 7 Sep. 2025
Adverb
Advertisement Advertisement In other words, this decision compounds one bad policy with another under the misguided notion that two wrongs make a right. Neale Mahoney, Time, 28 Aug. 2025 The movie also manages to deliver commentary on the wrongs of cultural theft. Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2025
Verb
One explanation for this may be that competitive people angrily want to prove the critic wrong, as opposed to carefully trying to better themselves. Big Think, 13 Aug. 2025 The ankle and the need to take more difficult shots because of all that was going wrong in the Huskies’ attempt to three-peat as champs played into it, Hurley said. Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 26 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for wrong
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wrong
Adjective
  • This vile, heartless remark is completely unacceptable—especially from someone entrusted with our children.
    Amy DeLaura, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
  • What constitutes an unacceptable season for the Yankees these days, and how much does Boone bear responsibility when the team doesn't perform up to those standards?
    Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • This approach is unreliable because the proxy materials, like volcanic rock, might have been changed by geological processes or created long after the eggs were laid, resulting in incorrect age estimates.
    Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Poor labor management can also result in longer wait times, incorrect orders and ultimately negative reviews, directly impacting revenue.
    Jeff Kiesel, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Some of my friends were pressured to send inappropriate pictures, contacted by strangers, and exposed to content way beyond our age.
    Annabelle Canela, Parents, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Businesses/nominees cannot obtain votes by any fraudulent or inappropriate means.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Lauber ruled that discounted cash flow valuation of land is erroneous as a matter of law.
    Peter J Reilly, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
  • One subject of a Raffi Khatchadourian piece complained that multiple details about his life were made up and demanded to know what idiot had given Khatchadourian the erroneous details.
    Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Ladapo said the decision was not reached according to the data, but instead on his view that vaccine mandates are immoral and outside the scope of the government’s authority.
    Sarah Fortinsky, The Hill, 7 Sep. 2025
  • Even the paper’s biggest triumph—which, without giving too much away, brings it into direct conflict with its toilet-paper stablemate—involves a farcically immoral compromise that tramples the church-state divide between news and product sales (and, worse, isn’t all that funny).
    Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • While working together on The Unit, David Mamet once told you that good drama isn’t a choice between good and bad; good drama is the choice between two bads.
    Max Gao, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Jan. 2025
  • Reports out of fall camp haven’t been super favorable to their offense, and while the defense will, again, be top-notch, a team with this bad of an offense cannot be trusted.
    Austin Mock, The Athletic, 19 Aug. 2024
Noun
  • Vogel also advocated for the passage of legislation that eventually acknowledged the injustice of the exile and imprisonment and provided a payment of $20,000 to Japanese American camp survivors.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 6 Sep. 2025
  • Any place where there’s injustice.
    Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 6 Sep. 2025
Adverb
  • His brother had been badly damaged by scandal when the family's British tabloids were found to have hacked into mobile phone voicemails and otherwise violated people's privacy.
    Bill Chappell, NPR, 10 Sep. 2025
  • There’s one episode that really stuck with me about a woman who had been bullied badly in middle school.
    Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Wrong.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wrong. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.

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