deadly wrong

USAGE SUMMARY

'Deadly wrong' is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You could use it to emphasize the severity of a mistake or a dangerous situation, for example: "It was deadly wrong of him to drive after drinking."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

Ultimately, Gross's view may prove to be prescient, but his market call was deadly wrong.

The Guardian - Money

They found data on a Special Forces unit that hunted down seventy top militants and on how such operations, along with everyday patrols, often went deadly wrong.

The New Yorker

'We should have been let on life boats sooner' A British dancer said the order to abandon ship should have come an hour earlier as crew knew something was "deadly wrong" with the Costa Concordia.

Independent

It's natural, but it is deadly wrong.

Huffington Post

Decades later we learned how deadly wrong they were.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

ALSO: Nightclub beating suspect secretly recorded by police, cop says Joke's on L.A.: Comedy Central behind Dumb Starbucks faux shop Driver in deadly wrong-way crash that killed 6 previously convicted of DUI Twitter: @katemather | Google+ [email protected]@latimes.com

Los Angeles Times

Tonight at 7 30, with 36 Deadly Fists, Dead Wrong and many more; tickets are $8 (Sanneh).

The New York Times

C1 Business Digest C2 EDITORIAL A32-33 EditoriAls: A deadly vacuum; the wrong way to guard the ports; tutoring gap; Helene Cooper on American aid in Pakistan: all guns, no butter.

The New York Times

His exploits led me to believe that sloths have in fact been named after the wrong deadly sin.

Huffington Post

I just think it was the application of the use of deadly force gone horribly wrong".

The New York Times

The effect of these marketing campaigns on fragile minds is all too obvious, allowing deadly power in the wrong hands.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "deadly wrong" to emphasize the potentially severe or lethal consequences of an error or misjudgment, not just a simple mistake.

Common error

Avoid using "deadly wrong" when describing minor mistakes or disagreements; reserve it for situations where the implications are genuinely serious.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "deadly wrong" functions as an adjective phrase intensifying the degree to which something is incorrect. It emphasizes the potential for disastrous consequences stemming from the error, as shown by Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Science

17%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Wiki

4%

Encyclopedias

2%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "deadly wrong" is a powerful adjective phrase used to emphasize the severity of an error and its potentially catastrophic consequences. Ludwig AI confirms that the phrase is grammatically correct and usable in written English. It is most frequently found in news and media contexts where the impact of mistakes is being analyzed. While effective, it should be reserved for situations where the consequences are genuinely serious to avoid overuse. Alternatives such as "fatally mistaken" or "catastrophically incorrect" can be used for similar emphasis. Remember to reserve the use of "deadly wrong" to describe situations where the implications of being incorrect are genuinely a matter of considerable consequences.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

fatally mistaken

Emphasizes the catastrophic consequences of the mistake, highlighting its irreversible and devastating impact.

catastrophically incorrect

Highlights the disastrous extent and implications of the incorrectness.

gravely in error

Indicates a serious and significant departure from what is correct or true.

dangerously misguided

Focuses on the perilous nature of being led in the wrong direction, with potential for harm.

seriously flawed

Points out the existence of a critical defect or weakness that undermines the soundness of something.

completely off-base

Suggests a total misjudgment or misunderstanding of the situation.

utterly unsound

Emphasizes the complete lack of validity or reliability.

tragically mistaken

Highlights the sorrowful or regrettable consequences of the error.

grievously incorrect

Indicates a painful or distressing level of inaccuracy.

disastrously inaccurate

Emphasizes the calamitous results stemming from the inaccuracy.

FAQs

How can I use "deadly wrong" in a sentence?

You can use "deadly wrong" to describe a belief, prediction, or action that has extremely negative consequences. For example: "His economic forecast was "deadly wrong", leading to a financial crisis."

What's a synonym for "deadly wrong"?

Synonyms for "deadly wrong" include "fatally mistaken", "catastrophically incorrect", or "gravely in error", each carrying a similar connotation of severe error.

Is "deadly wrong" formal or informal?

"Deadly wrong" can be used in both neutral and slightly formal contexts, but it's best suited for situations where you want to emphasize the severity of the mistake. Consider your audience and the tone you want to convey.

What's the difference between "deadly wrong" and "simply wrong"?

"Simply wrong" indicates a basic error, while "deadly wrong" signifies that the error has or will have extremely harmful or even fatal consequences. The intensity of the phrase is much higher.