What does wrong mean?
Wrong is a highly versatile English word meaning not correct, not true, or not appropriate. It can describe an erroneous answer, an accidental mistake, an unfair decision, or an inappropriate action. The expression “you are wrong” is direct and unqualified, while phrases such as “something is wrong” and “nothing wrong” occur constantly in ordinary conversation. Wrong can also function as an adverb: “You did it wrong” is more conversational than “You did it wrongly,” though both are accepted. Its moral sense is important in discussion of ethics, justice, and responsibility, as in “It would be wrong to lie.” The related noun is relatively uncommon but appears in constructions such as “the rights and wrongs” of a situation. Altogether, wrong is useful because it covers both factual error and moral fault without requiring the reader to infer which meaning is intended from context alone.
Not correct, true, suitable, or morally acceptable; mistaken or unjust.
"They followed the wrong instructions and reached the wrong destination."
The moral sense is especially common in statements about conduct, responsibility, and justice.
In an incorrect, mistaken, or unjust manner.
"If the calculation was done wrong, the final total will be incorrect."
An act, situation, or treatment that is incorrect or unjust.
"The manager wanted to acknowledge the wrongs that had been done."
This noun use is less common than the adjective and adverb forms.
Rare in modern English and chiefly used in the expression “rights and wrongs.”
"The debate began to examine the rights and wrongs of the dispute."
Before it meant morally false, wrong originally described something crooked or askew: a wrong turn really was a crooked turn.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does wrong come from?
Modern English wrong developed from Old English wrang, meaning “crooked, uneven, or wrong,” with its form and meaning closely related to Old Norse rangr, “crooked” or “awry.” Its earliest concrete sense concerned physical irregularity before it came to encompass factual error, injustice, and moral fault. Wrangle and wrangler preserve the same Germanic root, while German rang is a recognized cognate.
Related word forms
How wrong is actually used
Wrong is standard in formal and informal contexts, although telling someone directly that they are wrong can sound blunt. The adverb wrongly is common in formal writing, while wrong is widely used as an adverb in speech and informal prose. The noun is comparatively uncommon in modern English.
Easily confused with wrong
Wrong means incorrect or unjust, whereas wrung is the past tense of wring, meaning to twist or squeeze forcibly.