# go down the wrong way

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/go-down-the-wrong-way
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To go down the trachea (windpipe) in one's throat instead of the esophagus (the tube in the throat for swallowed food and fluids), typically resulting in coughing or choking.

## Examples

- The water went down the wrong way and I started coughing.
- I tried to drink too quickly while laughing, and the juice went down the wrong way.
- As he attempted to swallow the dry cracker, a crumb went down the wrong way, forcing him into a fit of uncontrollable coughing.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.