wrong

comparative more wrong · superlative most wrong

1. Incorrect or untrue.

   Some of your answers were correct, and some were wrong.

   4 more examples

   Among this princely heap, if any here / By false intelligence or wrong surmise / Hold me a foe […]

   c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i]

   You are not wrong, who deem / That my days have been a dream; / Yet if hope has flown away / In a night, or in a day, / In a vision, or in none, / Is it therefore the less gone?

   1849 March 31, Edgar Allan Poe, “A Dream Within a Dream”, in The Works of the Late Edgar Allan Poe: […], volumes II (Poems and Miscellanies), New York, N.Y.: J. S. Redfield, […], published 1850, →OCLC, page 40

   In this respect then, Gabriel's repetitive lyric of everyone playing: “games without frontiers and war without tears” was on the one hand quite funnily wrong. 'It's a Knockout' produced tears of laughter. […]

   2015 December 26, Victor Robert Farrell, Night-Whispers Vol 01-Q1-'Stirring Passions', Lulu.com, →ISBN, page 143

   Throughout this time, Mystic Wolmar has been trying his luck and mostly getting it wrong - especially in 2006, when he got virtually everything wrong, including the departure of Tony Blair.

   2024 January 10, Christian Wolmar, “A time for change? ... just as it was back in issue 262”, in RAIL, number 1000, page 61

2. Asserting something incorrect or untrue.

   You're wrong: he's not Superman at all.

3. Immoral, not good, bad.

   It is wrong to lie.

   1 more example

   Shepard: Some part of you must still realize this is wrong. You can fight this!

   2008, BioWare, Mass Effect (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: Council Chambers, Citadel

4. Improper; unfit; unsuitable.

   A bikini is the wrong thing to wear on a cold day.

5. Not working; out of order.

   Something is wrong with my cellphone.

   1 more example

   Don't cry, honey. Tell me what's wrong.

6. businessDesigned to be worn or placed inward.

   the wrong side of a garment or of a piece of cloth

   Synonyms: back · Antonyms: right, front

7. Twisted; wry.

   a wrong nose

comparative more wrong · superlative most wrong

1. informalIn a way that isn't right; incorrectly, wrongly.

   You're doing it all wrong!

   2 more examples

   I spelled several names wrong in my address book.

   `Then, just as I was, I walked out of the house and went to the recruiting-office, stating my age wrong.'

   1956, Anthony Burgess, Time for a Tiger (The Malayan Trilogy), published 1972, page 131

plural wrongs

1. Something that is immoral or not good.

   Injustice is a heinous wrong.

   Synonyms: depravity, iniquity, sin, atrocity, depravity, infamy, iniquity, outrage

2. An instance of wronging someone (sometimes with possessive to indicate the wrongdoer).

   Can she excuse my wrongs with Virtue's cloak? Shall I call her good when she proves unkind?

   1597, John Dowland, The First Booke of Songes or Ayres, Part V

   Synonyms: hardship, sorrow, wrongdoing, crime, delict, delinquency, error, malfeasance

3. The incorrect or unjust position or opinion.

   I blame not her: she could say little less; She had the wrong.

   c. 1591–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Third Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i], line 101

   Synonyms: error, wrength, wrongness, wrongfulness

4. The opposite of right; the concept of badness.

   Thus much of this will make Black white, foul fair, wrong right, Base noble, old young, coward valiant.

   c. 1605–1608 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Tymon of Athens”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii], line 28

   Synonyms: impropriety, roguery, bad manners, badness, delinquency, devilishness, devilment, devilry

present singular third person wrongs · participle present wronging · participle past wronged · past wronged

1. To treat unjustly; to injure or harm; to do wrong by.

   The dealer wronged us by selling us this lemon of a car.

   1 more example

   Thou dost then wrong me, as that slaughterer doth Which giveth many wounds when one will kill.

   1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Sixt”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iv], line 109

2. To deprive of some right, or to withhold some act of justice.

   ... And might by no suit gain our audience. When we are wrong'd and would unfold our griefs, We are denied access unto his person Even by those men that most have done us wrong.

   c. 1596–1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Fourth, […]. Epilogue.”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i], line 121

3. To slander; to impute evil to unjustly.

   O masters! if I were dispos'd to stir Your hearts and minds to mutiny and rage, I should do Brutus wrong, and Cassius wrong, Who (you all know) are honorable men. I will not do them wrong; I rather choose To wrong the dead, to wrong myself and you, Than I will wrong such honorable men.

   1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Iulius Cæsar”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii], line 121

   Synonyms: libel, malign, traduce, assassinate, asperse, backbite, badmouth, befoul