wrong
adjective /rɒŋ/
/rɔːŋ/
Idioms - not right or correct
- I got all the answers wrong.
- He was driving on the wrong side of the road.
- Sorry, I must have dialled the wrong number.
- You're holding the camera the wrong way up!
- That picture is the wrong way round.
- I soon realised I'd taken a wrong turn.
- He got all his calculations wrong.
- The information is just plain wrong.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs- be
- seem
- go
- …
- all
- badly
- disastrously
- …
- about
- for
- in
- …
- there’s nothing wrong with something
- you can’t go wrong (with something)
- [not before noun] (of a person) not right about something/somebody synonym mistaken
- I think she lives at number 44, but I could be wrong.
- wrong about something/somebody You were wrong about Tom; he's not married after all.
- wrong to do something We were wrong to assume that she'd agree.
- She would prove him wrong (= prove that he was wrong) whatever happened.
- (informal) Correct me if I'm wrong (= I may be wrong) but didn't you say you two knew each other?
- (informal) If you think I'm happy, you're dead wrong.
- (informal) You think you've beaten me but that's where you're wrong.
- (informal) ‘I thought this might interest you because I know you like boxing.’ ‘You're not wrong (= you are absolutely right). I love boxing.’
Synonyms wrongwrong- false
- mistaken
- incorrect
- inaccurate
- misguided
- untrue
- wrong not right or correct; (of a person) not right about somebody/something:
- I got all the answers wrong.
- We were wrong to assume she’d agree.
- false not true or correct; wrong because it is based on something that is not true or correct:
- A whale is a fish. True or false?
- She gave false information to the insurance company.
- mistaken wrong in your opinion or judgement; based on a wrong opinion or bad judgement:
- You’re completely mistaken about Jane.
- incorrect (rather formal) wrong according to the facts; containing mistakes:
- Many of the figures were incorrect.
- inaccurate wrong according to the facts; containing mistakes:
- The report was badly researched and quite inaccurate.
- misguided wrong because you have understood or judged a situation badly:
- In her misguided attempts to help, she only made the situation worse.
- untrue not based on facts, but invented or guessed:
- These accusations are totally untrue.
- to be wrong/mistaken about something
- wrong/false/mistaken/incorrect/inaccurate/untrue information
- a(n) false/mistaken/incorrect/inaccurate/misguided belief
- a(n) wrong/incorrect answer
Extra Examples- You were completely wrong about Maurice. He's not leaving.
- She was able to prove him wrong.
- Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't I know you?
- The authors are just plain wrong in their assessments.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs- be
- seem
- go
- …
- all
- badly
- disastrously
- …
- about
- for
- in
- …
- there’s nothing wrong with something
- you can’t go wrong (with something)
- [not before noun] causing problems or difficulties; not as it should be
- Is anything wrong? You look worried.
- ‘What's wrong?’ ‘Oh, nothing.’
- wrong with somebody/something There's something wrong with the printer.
- I have something wrong with my foot.
- The doctor could find nothing wrong with him.
Extra Examples- She was worried that there was something seriously wrong with her.
- I've got something wrong with my foot.
- The doctor could find nothing physically wrong with him.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs- be
- seem
- go
- …
- all
- badly
- disastrously
- …
- about
- for
- in
- …
- there’s nothing wrong with something
- you can’t go wrong (with something)
- [usually before noun] not suitable, right or what you need
- wrong something for something He's the wrong person for the job.
- wrong for something She's simply wrong for this job.
- wrong something to do I realized that it was the wrong thing to say.
- Most people think that the country is heading in the wrong direction.
- It was his bad luck to be in the wrong place at the wrong time (= so that he got involved in trouble without intending to).
- We don't want this document falling into the wrong hands.
- She's all wrong for you.
- [not usually before noun] not morally right or honest
- This man has done nothing wrong.
- wrong to do something It is wrong to tell lies.
- It's morally wrong to kill somebody.
- wrong of somebody (to do something) It was wrong of me to get so angry.
- wrong with doing something What's wrong with eating meat?
- wrong with something There's nothing inherently wrong with this type of nostalgia.
- wrong that… It is wrong that he should not be punished for what he did.
Extra ExamplesTopics Personal qualitiesb1- It was wrong of me to lose my temper.
- It is wrong that she wasn't punished for what she did.
- He knows that he's done wrong.
- Paying people such low wages is simply wrong.
- There's nothing wrong with eating meat.
- What's wrong with leading a comfortable life?
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs- be
- seem
- go
- …
- all
- badly
- disastrously
- …
- about
- for
- in
- …
- there’s nothing wrong with something
- you can’t go wrong (with something)
More Like This Silent lettersSilent letters- gnarled
- gnash
- gnat
- gnaw
- gnome
- haute cuisine
- heir
- herb
- honour
- hors d’oeuvre
- hour
- knack
- knee
- kneel
- knife
- knight
- knit
- knob
- knock
- knot
- know
- knuckle
- psalm
- psephology
- psychic
- ptarmigan
- pterodactyl
- psychology
- wrangle
- wrap
- wreath
- wreck
- wrench
- wrestle
- wriggle
- wring
- write
- wrong
- bomb
- climb
- crumb
- doubt
- lamb
- limb
- ascent
- fascinate
- muscle
- scene
- scissors
- height
- right
- sleigh
- weight
- align
- campaign
- design
- foreign
- malign
- reign
- unfeigned
- balmy
- calm
- calf
- half
- yolk
- autumn
- column
- condemn
- damn
- hymn
- solemn
- bristle
- fasten
- listen
- mortgage
- soften
- thistle
- wrestle
- biscuit
- build
- circuit
- disguise
- guilty
- league
- rogue
- vague
- yacht
- answer
- sword
- two
not correct
causing problems
not suitable
not morally right
Word Originlate Old English wrang, from Old Norse rangr ‘awry, unjust’; related to wring.
Idioms
back the wrong horse
- (British English) to support somebody/something that is not successfulTopics Difficulty and failurec2
be barking up the wrong tree
- (informal) to have the wrong idea about how to get or achieve something
- You're barking up the wrong tree if you're expecting us to lend you any money.
from/on the wrong side of the tracks
- from or living in a poor area or part of town
get/start off on the right/wrong foot (with somebody)
- (informal) to start a relationship well/badly
- I seem to have got off on the wrong foot with the new boss.
get on the right/wrong side of somebody
- to make somebody pleased with you/annoyed with you
get out of bed on the wrong side (British English)
(North American English get up on the wrong side of the bed)
- to be in a bad mood for the whole day for no particular reason
get (hold of) the wrong end of the stick
- (British English, informal) to understand something in the wrong way
hit/strike the right/wrong note
- (especially British English) to do, say or write something that is suitable/not suitable for a particular occasion
- It is a bizarre tale and the author hits just the right note of horror and disbelief.
- Unfortunately, the president struck the wrong note in his speech, ignoring the public mood.
not far off/out/wrong
- (informal) almost correct
- Your guess wasn't far out at all.
- They weren't far out with their estimate of 100 000.
- You're not far wrong when you say he's the richest guy in town.
on the right/wrong side of 40, 50, etc.
- (informal) younger or older than 40, 50, etc. years of age
on the right/wrong track
- thinking or behaving in the right/wrong way
- We haven’t found a cure yet—but we are on the right track.
- The new manager successfully got the team back onto the right track.
- The police were on the wrong track when they treated the case as a revenge killing.
on the wrong side of the law
- in trouble with the police
rub somebody up the wrong way (British English)
(North American English rub somebody the wrong way)
- (informal) to make somebody annoyed or angry, often without intending to, by doing or saying something that offends them
- She tends to rub people up the wrong way.
take something the wrong way
- to be offended by a remark that was not intended to be offensive
- She always takes things the wrong way.