wrong
- 01 A1 Beginner
adj.not correct or not true.
adj.not in accordance with fact, truth, or a particular standard.
Simple“I gave the wrong answer to the teacher's question.”
In context“The witness provided the wrong date for the incident, which led the investigators to pursue a completely different line of inquiry.”
PitfallI am wrong with you. I am wrong about you.Use 'about' to indicate the subject of the error.
- 02 A2 Elementary
adj.not good or not fair according to rules or morals.
adj.morally unacceptable or unjust.
Simple“It is wrong to take things that do not belong to you.”
In context“The philosopher argued that it is inherently wrong to deceive others, even if the deception results in a temporary benefit.”
- 03 A2 Elementary
adj.used when there is a problem with someone or something.
adj.functioning incorrectly or in an abnormal condition; often used in the phrase 'what is wrong'.
Simple“Something is wrong with my computer because it won't turn on.”
In context“The mechanic quickly identified that something was wrong with the fuel pump, explaining the engine's sudden loss of power on the motorway.”
- 04 B1 Intermediate
adv.in a way that is not correct.
adv.in an unsuitable or incorrect manner; often follows the verb.
Simple“I think I spelled her name wrong on the invitation.”
In context“If the data is entered wrong at the start of the process, the final report will be entirely unreliable.”
UsageIn informal speech, 'wrong' often replaces 'wrongly' after a verb.
Synonyms - 05 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.an unfair or bad action.
n.an instance of unjust or immoral treatment; a violation of a person's rights.
Simple“He wanted to right the wrongs of the past.”
In context“The legal team sought to address the historical wrongs committed against the community through a series of restitution claims.”
- 06 C1 Advanced
v.to treat someone in an unfair or bad way.
v.to treat someone unjustly or to harm them by an unfair act.
Simple“She felt that she had been wronged by her former employer.”
In context“The protagonist spends the second act of the play seeking revenge against those who had wronged his family years before.”
UsageThis verb is transitive and requires a direct object.
Synonymsmistreatabuse
Usage wrong way · wrong side · wrong direction
From Middle English wrong, from Old English wrang (“wrong, twisted, uneven”), from Old Norse rangr, vrangr (“crooked, wrong”), from Proto-Germanic wrangaz (“crooked, twisted, turned awry”), from Proto-Indo-European werḱ-, wrengʰ- (“to twist, weave, tie together”), from wer- (“to turn, bend”). Cognate with Scots wrang (“wrong”), Danish vrang (“wrong, crooked”), Swedish vrång (“perverse, distorted”), Icelandic rangur (“wrong”), Norwegian Nynorsk rang (“wrong”), Dutch wrang (“bitter, sour”) and the first element in the mythic Old Frisian city of Rungholt (“crooked wood”). More at wring.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.