\ ˈrȯŋ
\
\
Definition of wrong
(Entry 1 of 4)
1a
: an injurious, unfair, or unjust act : action or conduct inflicting harm without due provocation or just cause
2
: something wrong, immoral, or unethical
especially
: principles, practices, or conduct contrary to justice, goodness, equity, or law
3
: the state, position, or fact of being or doing wrong: such as
a
: the state of being mistaken or incorrect
b
: the state of being guilty
wrong
adjective
wronger\
ˈrȯŋ-ər
\; wrongest\
ˈrȯŋ-əst
\
\; wrongest\
ˈrȯŋ-əst
\
Definition of wrong (Entry 2 of 4)
2
: not right or proper according to a code, standard, or convention : improper
it was wrong not to thank your host
3
: not according to truth or facts : incorrect
gave a wrong date
4
: not satisfactory (as in condition, results, health, or temper)
5
: not in accordance with one's needs, intent, or expectations
took the wrong bus
6
: of, relating to, or constituting the side of something that is usually held to be opposite to the principal one, that is the one naturally or by design turned down, inward, or away, or that is the least finished or polished
wrong side of the tracks
: a run-down or unfashionable neighborhood
wrong
adverbDefinition of wrong (Entry 3 of 4)
1
: without accuracy : incorrectly
guessed wrong
2
: without regard for what is proper or just
was reprimanded for what he had done wrong
3
: in a wrong direction
turned wrong at the junction
4a
: in an unsuccessful or unfortunate way
something went wrong
b
: out of working order or condition
5
: in a false light
don't get me wrong
wrong
verb
wronged; wronging\
ˈrȯŋ-iŋ
\
\
Definition of wrong (Entry 4 of 4)
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Other Words from wrong
Adjective
wrongly
\
ˈrȯŋ-lē
\
adverb
\
adverb
wrongness
noun
Verb
wronger
\
ˈrȯŋ-ər
\
noun
\
noun
Synonyms & Antonyms for wrong
Synonyms: Noun
Synonyms: Adjective
- bad,
- bastard,
- bush,
- bush-league,
- crummy
- (also crumby),
- deficient,
- dissatisfactory,
- ill,
- inferior,
- lame,
- lousy,
- off,
- paltry,
- poor,
- punk,
- sour,
- suboptimal,
- subpar,
- substandard,
- unacceptable,
- unsatisfactory,
- wack
- [slang],
- wanting,
- wretched
Synonyms: Adverb
Antonyms: Noun
Antonyms: Adjective
- acceptable,
- adequate,
- all right,
- decent,
- fine,
- OK
- (or okay),
- passable,
- respectable,
- satisfactory,
- standard,
- tolerable
Antonyms: Adverb
Visit the Thesaurus for More
Examples of wrong in a Sentence
Noun
any reasonable person should be expected to know the difference between right and wrong
trying to right all the wrongs in the world
Adjective
I don't want you to get the wrong impression of him.
Don't take this the wrong way, but I think you should start exercising.
Are my actions sending the wrong message?
These pages are in the wrong order.
I got four answers wrong on the test.
You're wrong; the answer is six.
You like baseball, or am I wrong?
Am I wrong in thinking that she should never have gone?
I think her birthday is May 11th, but I could be wrong.
He thinks I can't win, but I'm going to prove him wrong.
Adverb
I entered the numbers wrong.
Her name was spelled wrong on the form.
I can't get this to work; could you show me what I did wrong?
Verb
We should forgive those who have wronged us.
As the wronged party, you have the right to sue for damages.
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Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
One wine continuing to prove that idea wrong is Far Niente Winery’s iconic chardonnay.
—
Chelsea Davis, Forbes, 10 Sep. 2021
But for Reggie Jackson, who can trace his ancestry back to 1792, reparations to individuals and Black communities would put right a longstanding wrong.
—
Molly Carmichael And Martha Daniels, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 9 Sep. 2021
Is the intention really to expose cheaters and right a wrong?
—
Beth Ashley, refinery29.com, 7 Sep. 2021
Manchin should agree to correct the wrong committed in 2017.
—
Jeffrey Sachs, CNN, 4 Sep. 2021
George Annas, director of the Center for Health Law, Ethics & Human Rights at Boston University School of Public Health, agreed its wrong to invoke the Nuremburg Code in reference to COVID-19 vaccines.
—
Ella Lee, USA TODAY, 10 Aug. 2021
In Coronado, there has been loud resistance among some community members to discussions of race and to the idea that Coronado committed any wrong with the tortilla incident.
—
Kristen Taketa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Aug. 2021
Constitutional policing includes respecting each individual, only pursuing wrong-doing based on probable cause, being careful with the use of lethal force, wearing operational body cameras, telling the truth, and much more.
—
Austin Berg, National Review, 10 Aug. 2021
Rights groups have called the detentions and the detention camp at Guantánamo, opened under President George W. Bush after the 2001 al-Qaida terrorist attacks, a historic wrong by the United States.
—
Star Tribune, 29 July 2021
Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective
The proposal to downlist the razorback was met with resistance from wildlife conservation groups that believe it’s coming at the wrong time.
—
Anton L. Delgado, The Arizona Republic, 13 Sep. 2021
In the Bar investigation, Uhlfelder’s lawyer has submitted affidavits from former Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice R. Fred Lewis and former 1st District Court of Appeal Chief Judge Robert Benton arguing that Uhlfelder did nothing wrong.
—
Dara Kam, sun-sentinel.com, 13 Sep. 2021
In the Bar investigation, Uhlfelder’s lawyer has submitted affidavits from former Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice R. Fred Lewis and former 1st District Court of Appeal Chief Judge Robert Benton arguing that Uhlfelder did nothing wrong.
—
Dara Kam, orlandosentinel.com, 13 Sep. 2021
That was the wrong time to pass such an overly broad authorization.
—
NBC News, 12 Sep. 2021
Then there was Baker Mayfield taking a sack at the wrong time.
—
Terry Pluto, cleveland, 12 Sep. 2021
Finally, a hawk was in the right place at the wrong time.
—
Lance Eliot, Forbes, 10 Sep. 2021
Stephens has had to spend the past couple of days explaining to his own son that dad has done nothing wrong.
—
BostonGlobe.com, 9 Sep. 2021
There’s nothing wrong with steering people in the safest and most responsible direction.
—
Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 7 Sep. 2021
Recent Examples on the Web: Adverb
The moment that would prove every team who failed to recognize his talent along the way wrong.
—
Jayna Bardahl, The Enquirer, 23 Aug. 2021
That said, your obvious mortification should have served to prove that instinct wrong.
—
Washington Post, 28 June 2021
Orlando does not monitor its air quality, leaving that task to Orange County’s Environmental Protection Division, which called the report wrong.
—
Kevin Spear, orlandosentinel.com, 27 May 2021
Davis proved him wrong half a century later, but explorers were unable to make further progress until the heroic age of Antarctic exploration in the early 20th century.
—
Amanda Foreman, WSJ, 14 Jan. 2021
Tensions came to a head this week when Johnson apologized for getting his own government’s social distancing rules wrong.
—
Emily Ashton, Bloomberg.com, 2 Oct. 2020
Ninety days is only a tiny fraction of a car's life, and plenty of things can go wrong after that period that would never be captured by this survey.
—
Annie White, Car and Driver, 31 Aug. 2021
That has meant lower costs for consumers but greater risk of serious disruption when things go wrong.
—
Washington Post, 30 Aug. 2021
That has meant lower costs for consumers but greater risk of serious disruption when things go wrong.
—
Will Englund, Marc Fisher And Jacob Bogage, Anchorage Daily News, 30 Aug. 2021
Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
People can wrong us in ways that arise from our vulnerability to them.
—
Kwame Anthony Appiah, New York Times, 24 Aug. 2021
Until then, much could wrong, driving the economy off the proverbial rails.
—
Mark Zandi For Cnn Business Perspectives, CNN, 21 Oct. 2020
However, Reid notes that elected officials like sheriffs have little incentive to take action against poll watchers within their community, and that law enforcement is thinking about groups like the Proud Boys all wrong anyway.
—
Emma Grey Ellis, Wired, 20 Oct. 2020
And part of that reliability is simply because there's so little that can wrong in a car this primitive.
—
John Pearley Huffman, Car and Driver, 15 Aug. 2020
Dylan McDermott and Darren Criss, features fictional characters and real-life icons, including Rock Hudson (played by Jake Picking), Hattie McDaniel (Queen Latifah) and Anna May Wong (Michelle Krusiec), whom Murphy feels were wronged.
—
Bill Keveney, USA TODAY, 4 May 2020
Suey Sing Tong elders decided that Low Sing had been wronged and demanded that the Kwong Ducks pay reparations.
—
Gary Kamiya, SFChronicle.com, 13 Dec. 2019
But regardless of their own identities, our student journalists must be allowed — and must have the courage — to cover our community freely and unfettered by harassment each time members of the community feel they have been wronged.
—
BostonGlobe.com, 14 Nov. 2019
One is, does anybody feel they were wronged as a team by Houston?
—
Evan Grant, Dallas News, 19 Feb. 2020
See MoreThese example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'wrong.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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Last Updated
14 Sep 2021
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Cite this Entry
“Wrong.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wrong. Accessed 25 Sep. 2021.
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More Definitions for wrong
wrong
noun
English Language Learners Definition of wrong
(Entry 1 of 4)
: behavior that is not morally good or correct
: a harmful, unfair, or illegal act
wrong
adjectiveEnglish Language Learners Definition of wrong (Entry 2 of 4)
: not agreeing with the facts or truth : incorrect
: speaking, acting, or judging in a way that does not agree with the facts or truth
: not suitable or appropriate for a particular purpose, situation, or person
wrong
adverbEnglish Language Learners Definition of wrong (Entry 3 of 4)
: in a way that does not agree with the facts or truth : in a way that results in an error
: in a way that is not suitable, proper, etc.
wrong
verbEnglish Language Learners Definition of wrong (Entry 4 of 4)
: to treat (someone) badly or unfairly
See the full definition for wrong in the English Language Learners Dictionary
wrong
adjective
\ ˈrȯŋ
\
\
Kids Definition of wrong
(Entry 1 of 4)
1
: not the one wanted or intended
I took the wrong train.
2
: not correct or true : false
Your addition is wrong.
4
: not satisfactory : causing unhappiness
You're upset. What's wrong?
5
: not suitable
This coat is the wrong size.
6
: made so as to be placed down or under and not to be seen
the wrong side of cloth
7
: not proper
He swallowed something the wrong way.
8
: not working correctly
Something's wrong with the car.
wrong
nounKids Definition of wrong (Entry 2 of 4)
: something (as an idea, rule, or action) that is not right
wrong
adverbKids Definition of wrong (Entry 3 of 4)
: in the wrong direction, manner, or way
I answered wrong.
wrong
verb
wronged; wronging
Kids Definition of wrong (Entry 4 of 4)
: to treat badly or unfairly
wrong
nounLegal Definition of wrong
(Entry 1 of 2)
2
: something (as conduct, practices, or qualities) contrary to justice, goodness, equity, or law
the difference between right and wrong
wrong
transitive verbLegal Definition of wrong (Entry 2 of 2)
: to do a wrong to : treat with injustice
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Time Traveler for wrong
The first known use of wrong was before the 12th century
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