go wrong

idiom

: to happen or proceed in a way that causes a bad result

We have to figure out what went wrong with the experiment.

Everything is going wrong for me today.

When she didn't come back, we feared that something had gone horribly wrong.

: to make a mistake

I followed the instructions to the letter and the computer still doesn't work. Where did I go wrong?

"I don't know what to order." "Their clam chowder is good. You can't go wrong with there."

Examples of go wrong in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Knowing what can go wrong and how to control it are essential steps in managing cybersecurity risks effectively. —

Craig Davies, Forbes, 18 Sep. 2024 Talk about the struggles, and explore what can (and sometimes does) go wrong. —

Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 12 Sep. 2024 Various things can go wrong for ships out at sea, from systems failures to people getting injured. —

Graham Averill, Outside Online, 11 Sep. 2024 Your operator should understand how to execute a parachute plan that can still protect the investor and stakeholders if things go wrong. —

Joseph Drups, Forbes, 5 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for go wrong

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'go wrong.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.