incorrect person

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "incorrect person" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to someone who is not the right individual for a particular situation or task. Example: "I believe you have contacted the incorrect person regarding your inquiry about the project."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Wiki

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

Often, older adults can remember a fact or detail, but attribute it to an incorrect person, time or place.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Dogs living with one adult, or one man and one woman, performed significantly below chance as more (71%) of these dogs looked towards the incorrect person first.

Animal Behaviour

And he is too reductive in arguing that since Hitler is the ultimate politically incorrect person, the Western world has overreacted by racing to adopt simplistic political correctness.

The New York Times - Books

However, dogs living with more than two adults (including at least one man and one woman) performed significantly better, and significantly more (80%) of these dogs looked at the correct person for longer than they looked at the incorrect person.

Animal Behaviour

One employee of an international organization, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because she is not authorized to speak to the news media, said that her managers had proposed using Mr. Milli to translate at a seminar but that state officials had refused, calling him "a politically incorrect person".

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

A photo of the wrong person, an incorrect year of marriage, a misspelled name ("Michelle," not "Michele"), the wrong title of Dory Previn's 1970 album "On My Way to Where" (not "On the Way to Where"), an erroneous job title ("psychotherapist," not "psychiatrist").

The New York Times

When you are interacting with people, you want to be an open, respectful, and informed individual instead of a politically incorrect, disrespectful person.

WikiHow

"The intention was to write a statement that was as politically neutral as possible — that did not allow for incorrect inference," one person familiar with the situation told me.

The New Yorker

If a change in circumstances makes any information on a certificate or other documentation incorrect, then the person whose name is on the certificate or other documentation must inform the withholding agent within 30 days of the change and furnish a new certificate, a new written statement, or new documentary evidence.

Cornell University

But eventually I got so accustomed that anything but they/them felt incorrect for this person.

HuffPost

It's supposedly politically incorrect to call a person "autistic". We're told to use "person-first" language, but I don't like referring to Gus as "a person with autism". To me it suggests autism is something you carry around and can drop at will.

Columbia University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When referring to a specific error made by someone, using "incorrect person" can clearly indicate that the mistake lies in the identification of the individual, rather than their actions.

Common error

While "wrong person" is similar, it can sometimes imply moral fault. Using "incorrect person" helps maintain a focus on factual inaccuracy, especially in formal contexts.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "incorrect person" functions as a noun phrase, where the adjective "incorrect" modifies the noun "person". Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness. It typically identifies someone who has been misidentified or is not the right individual for a given situation.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

20%

Academia

15%

Less common in

Wiki

10%

Formal & Business

10%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "incorrect person" is a grammatically sound and relatively common way to describe someone who has been misidentified or is not the right individual for a particular situation. As noted by Ludwig AI, it’s suitable for diverse contexts, predominantly appearing in news, scientific, and academic sources. When choosing between "incorrect person" and alternatives like "wrong individual", consider the specific nuance you wish to convey, as "incorrect person" focuses primarily on factual inaccuracy in identity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

wrong individual

Replaces "incorrect" with "wrong", maintaining a similar meaning.

mistaken identity

Focuses on the error of identifying someone as someone else.

unsuitable candidate

Implies the person is not appropriate for a specific role or situation.

inappropriate individual

Suggests the person is not suitable for a given situation or context.

erroneous person

Uses a more formal term, "erroneous", to indicate the person is identified in error.

the wrong party

Emphasizes that the person is not the one involved or responsible.

misidentified person

Highlights the act of incorrectly identifying someone.

unqualified person

Focuses on a lack of necessary qualifications or skills.

irrelevant person

Indicates the person has no connection or importance to the matter at hand.

improper person

Suggests the person is not behaving according to expected standards or rules.

FAQs

How can I use "incorrect person" in a sentence?

You can use "incorrect person" to indicate that someone has misidentified an individual. For example, "I think you have the "incorrect person"; I wasn't even at the party."

What can I say instead of "incorrect person"?

You can use alternatives like "wrong individual", "mistaken identity", or "unsuitable candidate" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "incorrect person" or "wrong person"?

Both phrases are grammatically correct, but "incorrect person" emphasizes a factual error in identification, while "wrong person" can sometimes imply moral fault or unsuitability.

When should I use "incorrect person" over "wrong person"?

Use "incorrect person" when you want to clearly convey that the mistake is about a factual misidentification. Use "wrong person" if you want to convey the individual is unsuitable or involved in wrongdoing.