wrong 1 of 4

1
as in unacceptable
falling short of a standard there is something wrong with this cake—it has a funny taste

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in incorrect
having an opinion that does not agree with truth or the facts I'm sorry, but the latest research proves you wrong

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
4
5
as in immoral
not conforming to a high moral standard; morally unacceptable was caught doing something wrong

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

wrong

2 of 4

noun

wrong

3 of 4

adverb

wrong

4 of 4

verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun wrong contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of wrong are grievance, injury, and injustice. While all these words mean "an act that inflicts undeserved hurt," wrong applies also in law to any act punishable according to the criminal code; it may apply more generally to any flagrant injustice.

determined to right society's wrongs

When might grievance be a better fit than wrong?

The words grievance and wrong are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, grievance applies to a circumstance or condition that constitutes an injustice to the sufferer and gives just ground for complaint.

a list of employee grievances

In what contexts can injury take the place of wrong?

Although the words injury and wrong have much in common, injury applies in law specifically to an injustice for which one may sue to recover compensation.

libel constitutes a legal injury

Where would injustice be a reasonable alternative to wrong?

The synonyms injustice and wrong are sometimes interchangeable, but injustice applies to any act that involves unfairness to another or violation of one's rights.

the injustices suffered by the lower classes

Examples Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of wrong
Adjective
And two, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with Chandler’s A-to-Z bookends! Bob Sassone, Vulture, 19 Dec. 2024 In the second column, list what feels wrong about the feedback. Melody Wilding, Contributor, CNBC, 19 Dec. 2024
Noun
Negatives must be seen and acknowledged in order for wrongs to be made right. Gwen Faulkenberry, arkansasonline.com, 28 Nov. 2024 What matters is there are deep wrongs that need to be righted. Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 28 Nov. 2024
Adverb
Selling millions of food items every week means millions of opportunities for things to go wrong every day. Seth Goldman, TIME, 2 Oct. 2024 From crescent bags to denim maxi skirts, never a foot is put wrong — and the very same can be said for the myriad unique and enviable haircuts. Jacqueline Kilikita, refinery29.com, 12 Sep. 2024
Verb
The more troubling theme, beyond the scheme and on-field performance, is the way Watson spoke like a man who somehow has been wronged in all of this. Jason Lloyd, The Athletic, 29 July 2024 As an adult, Quinn built a time machine to travel back in time to murder Summer and all of her friends who wronged him. Monica Mercuri, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for wrong 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wrong
Adjective
  • Drivers overwhelmingly perceive drunk driving as dangerous (95%) and socially unacceptable.
    Tanya Mohn, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2024
  • Although party representatives are meant to cede responsibility to the military brass during conflicts, their prominence could complicate the use of AI tools, especially if those technologies recommend politically risky or otherwise unacceptable operations.
    Sam Bresnick, Foreign Affairs, 31 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • Common issues include invoices being addressed to the wrong legal entity, missing postal addresses, incorrect purchase order numbers, or errors in the tax treatment of transactions.
    Aleksandra Bal, Forbes, 22 Dec. 2024
  • This metro has historically had one of the more stable housing markets in the country, and despite some incorrect predictions of a major cooling, it's remained that way.
    Nick Halter, Axios, 20 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • The accusations include inappropriate touching and forcibly kissing an intern.
    Steve Bittenbender | The Center Square contributor, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 23 Dec. 2024
  • This, of course, does not excuse inappropriate behavior toward customers.
    Tomas Gorny, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • But that expansion did not go quite as planned, as hundreds of drivers received erroneous tickets.
    Joel Rose, NPR, 31 Dec. 2024
  • The standard is a powerful shield for networks and publications that report erroneous information in good faith.
    Winston Cho, The Hollywood Reporter, 31 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • Our state and local leaders are the last defense against unconstitutional and immoral federal policies.
    Murad Awawdeh, New York Daily News, 16 Dec. 2024
  • This is perhaps the most immoral aspect of watching members of Congress downplay the impact of melting polar caps or having presidential debates in which the topic of global warming is handled like an afterthought.
    LZ Granderson, The Mercury News, 2 Oct. 2024
Noun
  • Reports out of fall camp haven’t been super favorable to their offense, and while the defense will, again, be top-notch, a team with this bad of an offense cannot be trusted.
    Austin Mock, The Athletic, 19 Aug. 2024
  • The revenue could come from taxes on bads (pollution, for example) or on rents (including land and, above all, intellectual property).
    Martin Wolf, Foreign Affairs, 1 July 2015
Noun
  • His investigative work has revealed injustices and wrongdoing in the community.
    Drake Bentley, Journal Sentinel, 22 Dec. 2024
  • The Ivy League grad has become an online obsession due to his looks and some people hail him as a hero for seemingly taking on the injustices in the U.S. health care system.
    Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 19 Dec. 2024
Adverb
  • Bereaved families said that officials told them that the bodies were so badly damaged that officials need time before returning them to relatives.
    Hyung-Jin Kim, Los Angeles Times, 31 Dec. 2024
  • That contract belongs to Marcus Stroman, who faded badly in the second half of 2024 and was a non-factor in the Yankees' postseason run, failing to face even one batter.
    George Monastiriakos, Newsweek, 30 Dec. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near wrong

Cite this Entry

“Wrong.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wrong. Accessed 4 Jan. 2025.

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