wrong
C1Neutral (usable across formal, informal, and all registers)
Definition
Meaning
Not correct, true, or accurate; contrary to what is morally right, just, or acceptable.
A state of injustice, unfair treatment, or an immoral/illegal act; to treat unjustly or harm unfairly.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word functions as an adjective, adverb, noun, and verb, with related but distinct meanings in each category. As an adjective, it denotes inaccuracy or immorality; as a noun, it refers to an unjust act; as a verb, to treat unjustly.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minor differences in usage frequency in certain verb collocations (e.g., 'get it wrong' is equally common; "wrong someone" as a verb is archaic in both but might appear in legal/formal contexts). Spelling is identical.
Connotations
Connotations are identical: strong moral/ethical dimension, not just factual error.
Frequency
Extremely high and identical frequency in both dialects.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
be wrong (about something)get something wrongdo somebody wronggo wrongprove somebody/something wrongVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Two wrongs don't make a right.”
- “Get off on the wrong foot.”
- “Rub somebody up the wrong way.”
- “Be barking up the wrong tree.”
- “In the wrong place at the wrong time.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used to describe incorrect data, unethical practices, or flawed strategies (e.g., 'The sales projections were wrong.').
Academic
Used to denote factual inaccuracies, logical fallacies, or morally/ethically problematic theories.
Everyday
The most common context, covering mistakes, moral judgments, and situations that have "gone wrong."
Technical
In law: "civil wrong" (tort); in computing: erroneous output or logic; in ethics: a violation of principles.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He felt he had been wronged by the tabloid's accusations.
- The court's ruling wronged the victims' families.
American English
- The lawsuit claims the company wronged its investors.
- She believed the system had wronged her.
adverb
British English
- My name was spelt wrong on the ticket.
- Everything has gone wrong since we moved.
American English
- You heard me wrong; that's not what I said.
- The machine was assembled wrong at the factory.
adjective
British English
- You've given me the wrong change.
- It's wrong to take credit for someone else's work.
American English
- That's the wrong exit off the freeway.
- Cheating on a test is just wrong.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- This answer is wrong.
- Is it wrong to be late?
- Sorry, wrong number.
- I think you have the wrong idea about her.
- The calculations went wrong somewhere.
- He knew it was wrong to lie.
- The report is fundamentally wrong in its conclusions.
- She was determined to right the wrongs of the past.
- The experiment went horribly wrong, damaging the equipment.
- The defendant was accused of committing a grave moral wrong.
- His hypothesis, though elegantly constructed, was proved wrong by subsequent data.
- The politician felt deeply wronged by the media's portrayal of the event.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a WRENCH (sounds like 'wren') thrown into the works – when something is WRONG, it doesn't fit or function correctly.
Conceptual Metaphor
WRONG IS OFF THE PATH/CORRECT TRACK (e.g., 'You've gone wrong in step three.'); WRONG IS DIRTY/IMPURE (e.g., 'wrongdoing').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid using 'bad' (плохой) for factual errors – 'wrong' is лучший выбор для ошибок.
- The phrase 'You are wrong.' translates as 'Ты не прав/не права.' not 'Ты плохой.'
- The noun 'a wrong' (несправедливость) is more abstract than a simple 'mistake' (ошибка).
- In Russian, 'не так' or 'неправильно' cover both 'incorrect' and 'wrong', but English 'wrong' carries stronger moral weight.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'false' as a direct synonym in all contexts (e.g., 'a wrong document' sounds odd; 'a false document' is better).
- Incorrect word order: 'I wrong wrote the address.' (Correct: 'I wrote the address wrong/incorrectly.').
- Confusing 'wrong' with 'mistaken' when referring to people ('He is wrong.' vs. 'He is mistaken.' – latter is slightly softer).
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'wrong' used as a NOUN?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
They are different. 'I was wrong' means 'I was mistaken.' 'I wronged him' is a verb meaning 'I treated him unjustly or harmed him.'
Yes, but it's often redundant. 'A wrong mistake' is poor style. Use 'wrong' before a noun to specify incorrect type: 'the wrong door', 'the wrong answer'.
'Incorrect' is more formal and neutral, often limited to factual errors. 'Wrong' is broader, used in everyday language and can imply moral/ethical failing.
Broadly, yes. 'Wrongly' is more common before a past participle ('wrongly accused') and in formal writing. 'Wrong' as an adverb is common after a verb ('spell it wrong').
Collections
Part of a collection
Basic Adjectives
A1 · 46 words · Fundamental describing words used every day.
Common Questions
A1 · 31 words · Question words and phrases for basic communication.