wrong
gb/ɹˈɔŋ/ us/ɹˈɔŋ/
A2
English
~ 800
Senses
0 senses
adjective
A2
property
1
Not correct or true
Not right; not true or correct.
Usage pattern:
[something] is wrong
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'wrong' with 'false'. 'Wrong' can apply to actions, ideas, or beliefs, while 'false' usually applies to statements or facts.
Synonyms
incorrect (More formal and often used in academic or technical contexts.)
Antonyms
correct (Means accurate or true in fact.)
Collocations
wrong answer
|wrong idea
|prove wrong
|completely wrong
|what's wrong
Themes
communication
|education
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Your calculation is wrong; the total should be 45.
- I was wrong about the time of the meeting.
- That statement is completely wrong and misleading.
- She proved him wrong with clear evidence.
Learner examples
- My answer is wrong.
- He is wrong about her name.
- This number is wrong.
- You are wrong about the day.
adjective
A2
property
2
Morally bad or unfair
Not fair or good; not morally right.
Usage pattern:
It is wrong to [do something]
Synonyms
unethical (Emphasizes breaking moral or professional standards.)
Antonyms
right (Means morally correct or just.)
Collocations
morally wrong
|seriously wrong
|know right from wrong
Themes
ethics
|society
|law
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- It’s wrong to lie to your friends.
- Many people think it’s wrong to kill animals for sport.
- The company’s actions were morally wrong.
Learner examples
- It is wrong to hurt people.
- Stealing is wrong.
- Lying is wrong.
Noun
B1
event
3
An unfair or immoral act
Something that is not fair, honest, or right.
Usage pattern:
to do [someone] a wrong
Synonyms
injustice (Focuses on lack of fairness or justice.)
Antonyms
justice (Refers to fairness and moral rightness.)
Collocations
right a wrong
|do someone a wrong
Themes
law
|ethics
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- He admitted the wrong and apologized.
- She was determined to right the wrongs of the past.
- They suffered a great wrong at the hands of the authorities.
Learner examples
- He did a wrong to me.
- We must right this wrong.
- They want to fix the wrong.
adverb
A2
property
4
In an incorrect way
In a way that is not right or correct.
Usage pattern:
to [do something] wrong
Synonyms
incorrectly (More formal; often used in written contexts.)
Antonyms
correctly (In a way that is accurate or true.)
Collocations
spelled wrong
|guessed wrong
Themes
daily life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- You’re holding the knife wrong.
- I guessed the answer wrong again.
- The name was spelled wrong on the form.
Learner examples
- He wrote my name wrong.
- I did the work wrong.
- She spelled the word wrong.
adjective
A2
property
5
Not suitable or appropriate
Not good for that person, place, or time.
Usage pattern:
the wrong [person/thing/place] for [something]
Synonyms
unsuitable (More formal; emphasizes lack of suitability.)
Antonyms
suitable (Appropriate for a particular purpose.)
Collocations
wrong person
|wrong place
Themes
daily life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- I think you’ve got the wrong person.
- They went to the wrong address by mistake.
- This is the wrong tool for the job.
Learner examples
- You have the wrong number.
- He is the wrong man for the job.
- We went to the wrong house.
Grammar
Dictionary form
wrong
IPA
GB/ɹˈɔŋ/
US/ɹˈɔŋ/
Syllables & stress
wrong (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (wrong)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: wrong
- Comparative: worse
- Superlative: worst
Noun
- Base: wrong
- Plural: wrong, wrongs
Word family
Forms
Core family
wrongly
adverb B2
Related words
wrongdoer
noun
wrongdoing
noun
Advanced or less common
wrongful
adjective
wrongfully
adverb
wrongness
noun
Highlights
- Irregular comparative: worse Adjective
- Irregular superlative: worst Adjective
Expressions
go wrong
1/ɡˈoʊ ɹˈɔŋ/
phrasal verb
Develop badly or fail
To have problems; to not happen as planned.
Examples
- Something went wrong with the computer update.
- Our plans went wrong after it started raining.
what’s wrong
1/wˈʌts ɹˈɔŋ/
fixed phrase
Ask about a problem or issue
Used to ask what problem someone has or what is not right.
Examples
- You look upset. What’s wrong?
- What’s wrong with your car?
get someone wrong
1/ɡˈɛt sˈʌmwˌʌn ɹˈɔŋ/
fixed phrase
Misunderstand someone’s meaning or intent
To not understand what someone means correctly.
Examples
- Don’t get me wrong—I like your idea, but it needs work.
- You’ve got me wrong; I’m not trying to blame you.
- I think you got him wrong; he wasn’t being rude.
- I think you’ve got her wrong—she’s actually very friendly once you know her.
prove someone wrong
1/pɹˈuv sˈʌmwˌʌn ɹˈɔŋ/
fixed phrase
Show someone is incorrect
To show that what someone said or thought is not true.
Examples
- She proved him wrong by finishing the race first.
- She proved them wrong by finishing first in the race.
- I love proving people wrong when they doubt me.
- The results proved me wrong.
rub someone the wrong way
1/ɹˈʌb sˈʌmwˌʌn ðə ɹˈɔŋ wˈeɪ/
idiom
informal
Annoy someone unintentionally
To make someone feel annoyed without meaning to.
Examples
- His arrogant attitude rubbed me the wrong way.
- His jokes really rub me the wrong way sometimes.
- She tends to rub people the wrong way when she’s stressed.
- I think I rubbed her the wrong way when I disagreed.