English Reference
adverb

wrongly

adv.
US /ˈɹɔŋɫi/ UK /ɹˈɒŋli/ wrong·ly

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    in a way that is not correct or accurate.

    incorrectly or mistakenly; in a manner that deviates from fact or truth.

    Simple

    The name was wrongly spelled on the official invitation.

    In context

    Many observers wrongly assumed that the market would recover quickly, failing to account for the underlying structural weaknesses in the economy.

    Pitfall
    I wrongly the answer. I answered wrongly.

    Wrongly is an adverb and must modify a verb, adjective, or another adverb; it cannot be used as a verb itself.

  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate Formal Law

    in an unfair or dishonest way, especially when someone is punished for something they did not do.

    in violation of justice, law, or moral standards; often used in legal contexts regarding false accusations.

    Simple

    He spent ten years in prison after being wrongly convicted of the crime.

    In context

    The journalist argued that the whistleblower had been wrongly accused of leaking sensitive data to the public.

Back in 2010, eight in ten people wrongly thought crime was increasing, exactly the same as today.

Phys.org· 8 Sept 2026

A caption wrongly described Chris Cantrill’s comedy partner Amy Gledhill as his wife.

The Guardian· 3 Sept 2026

From Middle English wrongly, wrongliche, equivalent to wrong + -ly.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Middle English wrongly
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated