erroneous
gb/ɪɹˈoʊniəs/ us/ɪɹˈoʊniəs/
C1
English
~ 9000
Senses
0 senses
adjective
formal
C1
property
1
incorrect or based on a mistake
Not correct; having a mistake, or coming from a wrong idea or information.
Usage pattern:
erroneous [noun]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use *erroneous* for people instead of their ideas or actions (e.g., saying "an erroneous person" is unnatural; say "an erroneous belief" or "his view is erroneous"). Many also confuse the register and use it in casual speech where "wrong" or "not correct" would be more natural. Note that *erroneous* is mainly used with abstract nouns like *assumption, belief, conclusion, report, data, information*.
Synonyms
incorrect (Most common neutral synonym; can be used in almost all contexts where "erroneous" is used but is less formal.)
|
wrong (Very common and informal compared to "erroneous"; often used in everyday speech rather than formal writing.)
|
inaccurate (Stresses a lack of exactness or precision, especially with data or figures; slightly less formal than "erroneous".)
Antonyms
correct (General opposite, meaning free from mistakes or errors.)
|
accurate (Opposite especially when talking about data, details, or descriptions that are exact and free of errors.)
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valid (Opposite in contexts of arguments, reasons, or conclusions that are logically sound and not based on error.)
Collocations
erroneous assumption
|erroneous belief
|erroneous conclusion
|erroneous impression
|erroneous information
|erroneous data
Themes
language
|thinking
|core_vocabulary
|education
Examples
- The report was withdrawn after several journalists pointed out its erroneous statistics.
- Her decision was based on the erroneous belief that the course was free.
- He later apologized for his erroneous conclusion about the company's finances.
- The article gives an erroneous impression of how common the problem is.
- Due to an erroneous entry in the database, my address was recorded incorrectly.
Learner examples
- The news story contained several erroneous facts.
- He made an erroneous guess about the test answer.
- Her fear was based on an erroneous idea about the medicine.
- The map is erroneous, so the road looks longer than it is.
- They corrected the erroneous number in the bill.
Grammar
Dictionary form
erroneous
IPA
GB/ɪɹˈoʊniəs/
US/ɪɹˈoʊniəs/
Syllables & stress
er - ro - neous (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (ro)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: erroneous
Word family
Core family
error
noun A2
erroneously
adverb
Advanced or less common
err
verb
Expressions
No expressions linked to this entry yet.