I wrongly thought

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "I wrongly thought" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you wish to express that you initially believed something to be true which was incorrect. For example: "I wrongly thought that I needed to go to the store before dinner, but my mom said we had everything we needed at home."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

"We argued in the language of war," McNamara said to me, "which I wrongly thought was a universal language".

The Guardian - Books

But the crucial discussion was about the concept of fate and coincidence where I wrongly thought that he believed life was governed by coincidence.

The Guardian - Film

His own life had featured little in his early poetry, "but that did change with Lucinda, and I wrote the occasional love poem and some bits about domestic life which I, wrongly, thought no one had written about before".

The Guardian

I did the same ahead of this campaign but changed my mind when Lambert brought in Cleverley and Sanchez, who I wrongly thought would make a difference.

BBC

Apps often take 5-10 seconds to open, actions occasionally take long enough that I wrongly thought I'd missed the button, and animations stutter just about every other time one occurs.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

I feel sick each time I hear of another victim being conned because of trust they wrongly thought they were placing in me.

TechCrunch

A private in the Machine Gun Corps, who shot dead his wife because he wrongly thought she had given him venereal disease, said: "I only did my duty as I did in France".

The Guardian - Books

The actress also said she is wrongly thought to be a "goody two-shoes", adding: "I'm probably less square than people think".

Independent

Cameron wrongly thought this a clause IV moment to parade a modernised party.

The Guardian - Opinion

Other Europeans (wrongly) thought them migrant Egyptians, hence the derivative Gypsy.

The Economist

Nursing staff had wrongly thought, under the LCP guidance, that giving fluids was wrong.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "I wrongly thought" to clearly indicate a change in your understanding, showcasing a learning process or correction of a previous assumption.

Common error

Avoid using "I thought wrong," which is grammatically incorrect. "I wrongly thought" correctly places the adverb "wrongly" to modify the verb "thought."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "I wrongly thought" functions as a statement of revised understanding. It indicates a previous belief held by the speaker that has since been proven or understood to be incorrect. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is grammatically sound and commonly used.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

71%

Wiki

14%

Science

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "I wrongly thought" is a grammatically correct and understandable phrase used to express a past belief that has since been corrected. Ludwig AI confirms its validity. While not extremely common, it appears in various contexts, particularly in news and media, as well as science. To improve your writing, remember that this phrase is best used to clearly indicate a shift in your understanding or to correct a previous assumption. Alternatives such as "I mistakenly believed" or "I incorrectly assumed" can offer slightly different nuances, depending on the context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

I mistakenly believed

Emphasizes the error in the original belief.

I was mistaken in thinking

Highlights the act of thinking something that turned out to be wrong.

I incorrectly assumed

Focuses on the act of assuming something without proper evidence.

I erroneously believed

Uses a more formal tone to express the mistaken belief.

I falsely imagined

Highlights that the thought was a product of imagination rather than fact.

I had been under the illusion

Emphasizes the deceptive nature of the original belief.

I was under the false impression

Indicates that the belief was based on incorrect information or understanding.

I was deluded into thinking

Suggests a stronger sense of deception or self-deception.

I labored under the misapprehension

A more elaborate way of saying "I wrongly thought."

I had the wrong idea

A more informal way of expressing a mistaken belief.

FAQs

How can I use "I wrongly thought" in a sentence?

Use "I wrongly thought" to express a past belief that you now know to be incorrect. For example, "I wrongly thought the meeting was at 2 pm, but it's actually at 3 pm."

What phrases are similar in meaning to "I wrongly thought"?

Similar phrases include "I mistakenly believed", "I incorrectly assumed", and "I falsely imagined", each with slightly different nuances.

Is it better to say "I wrongly thought" or "I thought wrong"?

"I wrongly thought" is the grammatically correct and preferred phrasing. "I thought wrong" is not standard English.

Can "I wrongly thought" be used in formal writing?

Yes, "I wrongly thought" is suitable for both formal and informal writing, as it's a clear and direct way to express a corrected belief.