Mr. Wrong

plural Mr. Wrongs · plural Messrs. Wrong

1. alternativeAlternative form of Mister Wrong.

   Charli XCX bares her fangs on this new track, proving that even though she’s all of 18 years old, she’s more-than-ready for adult life—at least in the romance department. The message to Mr. Wrong is clear: “...Now that you are gone / Stay away / Won't you just stay away.”

   2011 August 29, Brendan Hasenstab, “Track of the Day: ‘Stay Away’”, in James Bennet, editor, The Atlantic, Washington, D.C.: The Atlantic Monthly Group, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 01 Oct 2015

   3 more examples

   Oscar-winner Ma-risa Tomei and Vincent D’Onofrio star in “Happy Accidents,” opening in limited release Sept. 14, about a single young New Yorker, Ruby, who, after finding several Mr. Wrongs, believes she has found Mr. Right in the form of the sweet Sam Deed, a newcomer from Dubuque, Iowa.

   2001 September 6, Susan King, “On His Own Terms”, in Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, Calif.: Los Angeles Times Communications, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 26 Jan 2025

   Single women can now call off the exhausting and maddening hunt for Mr. Right. Mr. Right would bring bliss — and an early grave. But women will also have to try harder to avoid Mr. Wrong. Mr. Wrong, or a series of Mr. Wrongs, would lead to a slough of despond — and an early grave.

   2002 May 8, Maureen Dowd, “Ladies, Sing the Blues”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 21 Feb 2011

   To prepare for the burning bowl, each person writes on slips of paper those negative traits or situations they would like to be rid of in the year to come. Examples might be, […] “Proclivity for attracting Messrs. Wrong”—anything that needs to go in the auld acquaintance category and be never brought to mind.

   2004, Victoria Moran, “December 27: The Burning Bowl”, in Younger by the Day: 365 Ways to Rejuvenate Your Body and Revitalize Your Spirit, [San Francisco, Calif.]: HarperSanFrancisco, →ISBN, page 428