wrongly
B2Pronunciation
UK
- /rˈɒŋli/
US
- /ˈrɔŋli/
Description
- Incorrectly
- unfairly
- mistakenly
Imagine a detective accusing the wrong person of a crime. They have accused them wrongly. "Wrongly" describes something done in an incorrect, unfair, or mistaken way. You might be wrongly accused of eating the last cookie, or someone might wrongly believe that a shop is closed when it is still open. The word often shows that something should have been done or understood differently. In many cases, it also suggests that the mistake caused trouble or unfair treatment.
The word "wrongly" is an adverb that describes how something is done: in a way that is incorrect, unfair, or based on mistaken information. It can be used for simple everyday mistakes, but it also appears in more serious situations.
Think of it like this: you might wrongly think your keys are on the table when they are actually in your bag, or someone could be wrongly convicted of a crime. In the first case, it is just a mistake. In the second, it is a serious injustice. The word works in both kinds of situations.
"Wrongly" is often used with accusations, judgments, decisions, beliefs, and treatment. For example: "He was wrongly imprisoned for years," meaning his imprisonment was unjust. Or, "They wrongly believed the train had already left," which shows a mistaken belief. It can also describe actions based on false information: "They were wrongly informed about the meeting time."
You'll often see it paired with verbs like accuse, convict, blame, judge, treat, inform, or believe. Sometimes it simply means "incorrectly" or "by mistake." In other cases, especially when people are judged or treated badly, it carries a stronger sense of unfairness or harm. So when something is done "wrongly," it means it was not done in the right or fair way.
Examples
- 1
Paperwork
I filled out the form wrongly, so I had to do it again.
- 2
Installation
If you install the batteries wrongly, the toy won't turn on.
- 3
Misunderstanding
I took her joke wrongly and thought she was insulting me.
- 4
False assumption
She assumed, wrongly, that everyone had already heard the news.
- 5
News reporting
Several newspapers wrongly reported that the company was closing.
- 6
Legal case
He spent years in prison after being wrongly convicted.
Domain
wrongly convicted
judged guilty in court when not guilty
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- wronglyadverb