wrong 1 of 4

adjective

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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
as in inappropriate
not appropriate for a particular occasion or situation has a knack for saying just the wrong thing

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in erroneous
not being in agreement with what is true her answer that Thomas Jefferson was the second president of the United States is wrong—it was John Adams, of course

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in immoral
not conforming to a high moral standard; morally unacceptable was caught doing something wrong

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

wrong

2 of 4

noun

ˈrȯŋ How to pronounce wrong (audio)
1
as in bad
that which is morally unacceptable any reasonable person should be expected to know the difference between right and wrong

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in injustice
unfair or inadequate treatment of someone or something or an instance of this trying to right all the wrongs in the world

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

wrong

3 of 4

adverb

as in badly
off the desired or intended path or course all of our carefully laid plans have gone wrong

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

wrong

4 of 4

verb

as in to harm

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

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

Example 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
The price is wrong Now, cogitate some affordability math that estimates housing costs for these two groups of counties using Census Bureau data tracking home values between 2019 and 2024. — Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 31 July 2026 Indeed, cowardice in this situation sends exactly the wrong message. — Ivan Oransky, STAT, 31 July 2026
Noun
Jobs will be won and lost over the next six weeks, as the Lions attempt to right the wrongs that led to a NFC North fourth-place finish in 2025. — Colton Pouncy, New York Times, 22 July 2026 Cox’s observation accompanied a new report the LDF released last week along with the New York Civil Liberties Union on how the state can right its wrongs. — Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 18 July 2026
Adverb
Dispatchers told paramedics over the radio, however, that the man landed wrong and possibly broke his leg. — David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 13 July 2026 There are just too many things that can go wrong that cross national borders. — Dana Taylor, USA Today, 23 June 2026
Verb
This wasn’t an opportunity to defame someone or make this about how I’d been wronged. — Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 5 June 2026 Trump accidentally made the case that when the government’s policies cause harm, reparations should be paid by the government to make those who were wronged whole again, or that they should be compensated in some way. — Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 21 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for wrong
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wrong
  1. unacceptable
  2. incorrect
  3. inappropriate
  4. erroneous
  5. immoral
  6. bad
  7. injustice
  8. badly
Adjective
  • The episode has added to a growing chorus of concern among AI safety advocates, who argue that agents capable of independently identifying and exploiting unknown vulnerabilities across multiple companies’ infrastructure present an unacceptable risk.
    — Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 29 July 2026
  • Conditional approval remains a possibility for firms demonstrating no unacceptable risks.
    — John Koetsier, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
Definition of unacceptable
Adjective
  • Artificial intelligence can worsen this by confidently directing attention, causing users to stop searching prematurely if AI's initial answer is plausible but incorrect.
    — Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Incorrect Brew Temperature or Pressure While rather technical, Mynatt notes that using incorrect brew temperatures or pressures can have a significant impact on your espresso and latte.
    — Better Homes & Gardens, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of incorrect
Adjective
  • The siblings-in-law addressed comments from Alli McBee suggesting their relationship had been inappropriate.
    — Deirdre Durkan, PEOPLE, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Students also need to learn when AI use is inappropriate, when a primary source has to be read directly and when a judgment is too consequential to delegate.
    — Ray Ravaglia, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of inappropriate
Adjective
  • Reports based on the erroneous California Crash Reporting System entry surfaced Monday night, prompting Shanahan to address the crash Tuesday.
    — Cam Inman, Mercury News, 28 July 2026
  • However, the vast majority of these folks did not actually vote, and many asked for their erroneous registrations to be purged, contrary to the Republican fantasy that millions of noncitizens are all gunning to illegally vote.
    — New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 26 July 2026
Definition of erroneous
Adjective
  • Neither Agamemnon nor Menelaus grasp that their actions toward their wives were immoral.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 29 July 2026
  • Some rabbinic readings attribute Lot’s hesitation to leave Sodom to his immoral greed and inordinate wealth.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 July 2026
Definition of immoral
Noun
  • In addition to public goods, AI will also create public bads.
    — James Broughel, Forbes.com, 8 June 2026
  • Naturally, the meeting is a flop because no one was prepared, and their spontaneous ideas are frankly fireable-offense bad (a baguette bag shaped like a baguette for Paris?
    — Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 18 Dec. 2025
Definition of bad
Noun
  • His adult children see injustice in the delay as well as the arrest itself.
    — Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 30 July 2026
  • Community advocates say the disaster underscores long-standing environmental injustices in Eastside neighborhoods, urging faster cleanup and permanent closure of the facility.
    — Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2026
Definition of injustice
Adverb
  • But, positioned 11th in the GC before the mountains, Włodarczyk is not riding badly and could yet pull out some great performances.
    — Jessica Hopkins, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026
  • The whole thing reminded me so much of Willow, when Kael’s forces arrive at Tir Asleen and Madmartigan tries to act tough and intimidating despite being badly outnumbered.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of badly

Phrases Containing wrong

Browse Nearby Words

written up
wrong
wrongdoer
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wrong.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wrong. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on wrong

Nglish: Translation of wrong for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of torpor

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All