Wrong Meaning

UK /rɒŋ/
US /rɔːŋ/
Word Definition
wrong meaning

Wrong Definition & Usage

adjective

Not correct or true; mistaken, erroneous.

Examples

  • "Your answer is wrong; try again."
  • "The weather forecast was wrong, and it rained all day."
  • "He gave me the wrong directions, so I got lost."
  • "I think you've made a wrong assumption about her intentions."
  • "The wrong number of tickets were ordered for the event."
adjective

Contrary to what is morally right or just.

Examples

  • "What he did was wrong; he should have apologized."
  • "It's wrong to steal, no matter the circumstances."
  • "She felt that his behavior was wrong, even if others disagreed."
  • "The decision to ignore the rules was morally wrong."
  • "Lying to your friends is always wrong, even if it seems harmless."
adjective

Not suitable or appropriate for a given situation; harmful or undesirable.

Examples

  • "She felt wrong in that outfit—it just didn’t suit her."
  • "He was in the wrong place at the wrong time."
  • "This is the wrong approach to solving the problem."
  • "I think I chose the wrong career path."
  • "The wrong equipment was used during the experiment, causing errors."
verb

To treat or deal with something or someone in a way that is unjust or improper.

Examples

  • "She was wronged by her colleague when they took credit for her work."
  • "He wronged his friends by not keeping his promises."
  • "They wronged me when they made that decision without consulting me."
  • "You shouldn't wrong your opponents by cheating in the game."
  • "He felt he was wronged by the company when they didn't offer him the promotion."

Cultural Context

The word 'wrong' has its roots in Old English ('wrang'), where it carried meanings related to error, injustice, or sin. Over time, the word evolved and became widely used to describe things that are factually incorrect, morally or ethically improper, or unsuitable for a given situation.

The Wrong Turn

Story

The Wrong Turn

Sophie had always prided herself on being the responsible one. But today, everything seemed off. As she hurried through her morning routine, she quickly glanced at her phone—wrong time. She was late for a meeting. In the rush, she grabbed the wrong bag, realizing only when she arrived that she'd forgotten her laptop. To make matters worse, she had received the wrong directions from the new assistant, and ended up in the wrong building for her meeting. When Sophie finally entered the conference room, flustered and red-faced, her boss, Mr. Hall, was waiting. ‘You’re late,’ he said, and Sophie could feel her stomach twist. ‘I’m sorry, I took the wrong turn on my way here,’ she explained, trying to laugh it off. Mr. Hall didn’t seem convinced. He wasn’t the type to tolerate mistakes, especially ones that could be avoided. As the meeting continued, Sophie began to notice that everyone else seemed unusually tense. She felt like something wasn’t quite right, as though she was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Finally, in the middle of a presentation, she spoke up, offering a solution that she believed was better than the one on the table. But instead of the usual nods of agreement, the room fell silent. Mr. Hall’s eyes narrowed. ‘That’s wrong, Sophie. We’ve already considered that solution. It’s not appropriate for our current strategy.’ Her stomach sank as she realized that not only was she physically in the wrong place, but also her ideas and contributions were off the mark today. She had been so focused on catching up with the flow of things that she failed to see that her approach was out of sync with the company’s goals. By the end of the meeting, Sophie had learned an important lesson: when things go wrong, it’s not always about one small mistake—it’s about understanding the bigger picture and adjusting accordingly. The wrong decisions could set her back, but learning from them was key. Later that day, Sophie called her colleague, Jessica. ‘I think I’ve been wrong about a lot of things lately,’ she said, and Jessica, with her calming voice, replied, ‘We all have our wrong turns. What matters is how we correct them.’ Sophie felt a little better after the conversation, but she knew there was work to be done. She couldn’t afford to let these wrong moves define her future.

The Wrong Turn