# wrongly

/ˈɹɔŋɫi/ (US) · /ɹˈɒŋli/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/wrongly
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. incorrectly or by mistake

adverb · CEFR B2

in a way that is not correct or accurate.

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

- The name was wrongly spelled on the official invitation.
- Many observers wrongly assumed that the market would recover quickly, failing to account for the underlying structural weaknesses in the economy.

### 2. unfairly or unjustly

adverb · CEFR B2 · Formal

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

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

- He spent ten years in prison after being wrongly convicted of the crime.
- The journalist argued that the whistleblower had been wrongly accused of leaking sensitive data to the public.

## Examples

- He was wrongly accused of the crime.
- The system wrongly identified the customer as a minor and blocked the purchase.
- Historians argue that the general was wrongly blamed for the defeat, as the true cause was a failure in the supply chain rather than his tactical decisions.

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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.