incorrectly

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "incorrectly" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe an action or statement that is not done in a correct manner. Example: "He answered the question incorrectly, which led to confusion in the discussion."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Diniz says it's not clear why, but one likely explanation is that they are using contraception methods incorrectly.

The Guardian

This article was amended on 2 September 2014, as the dress designer was incorrectly credited to Atelier Versace rather than Donatella Versace.

The Guardian - Film

She said the bill took away the community's right "to challenge past decisions that might have been incorrectly made".

The Guardian

It's why we incorrectly removed links to some articles last week (they've since been reinstated).

The Guardian - Opinion

I regret that my question could be misinterpreted, and that it enabled many to ignore the substance of the question – and Putin's evasive response – in order to speculate, wildly and incorrectly, about my motives for asking it.

The Guardian - Opinion

"Never, never, never".★ This article was amended on 18 January 2010 because we incorrectly referred to the town of Nargathon instead of Narbethong.

The Guardian

The graphic in this article was amended on 22 May 2014 as the bar chart of Members of the European parliament by UK region incorrectly showed one Labour MEP in the South West.

The Guardian

Hundreds of former Comet employees are to lose out on compensation for being laid off incorrectly after an employment tribunal ruling on Friday dashed hopes of a payout.

The Guardian - Business

The original incorrectly described Warren Hill as mentally ill.

The Guardian

An earlier version suggested incorrectly that the Liberal Democrats were proposing to scrap bus passes for better-off pensioners.

The Guardian

It has also emerged that UK taxpayers have been hit with a bill of as much as £50m in compensatory payments to workers laid off incorrectly during more than 20 company insolvencies overseen by Deloitte in the past six years.

The Guardian - Business

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "incorrectly" when the focus is on stating that something is not factual, but not necessarily suggesting intention or moral failing.

Common error

Avoid using "incorrectly" when you intend to convey a sense of injustice or bias. "Incorrectly" refers to factual errors, while "unfairly" addresses issues of equity or justice.

Linguistic Context

The adverb "incorrectly" functions primarily to modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, indicating that an action was performed or a statement was made in an inaccurate or mistaken manner. Ludwig AI confirms that this adverb is widely used to denote deviations from correctness across various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

66%

Formal & Business

17%

Science

17%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "incorrectly" functions as an adverb used to express that something has been done or stated in an inaccurate or mistaken manner. According to Ludwig AI, the adverb is grammatically correct and its examples demonstrate usage in News & Media, Business, and Science among others. While synonyms such as "wrongly", "falsely", and "erroneously" exist, it’s important to choose the alternative that best fits the specific nuance of the situation. Remember to reserve "incorrectly" for factual errors, and use "unfairly" when addressing issues of equity or justice. By understanding its usage and context, you can effectively use the term "incorrectly" in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

wrongly

Implies a deviation from truth or accuracy, similar to "incorrectly" but can also suggest a moral dimension.

falsely

Suggests a deliberate or intentional misrepresentation, adding a layer of intent not always present in "incorrectly".

erroneously

Emphasizes that the mistake happened due to an error or misunderstanding, often implying a lack of intent.

inaccurately

Focuses specifically on the lack of precision or exactness in a statement or action.

mistakenly

Highlights that the action or statement was based on a misunderstanding or flawed assumption.

improperly

Suggests that something was done not according to the correct procedure or standard, differing from factual accuracy.

defectively

Emphasizes flaws or shortcomings in the manner in which something was done

in error

This suggests that an action or statement was done/said due to a mistake.

by mistake

Describes an action that was unintentional but did not follow correct instructions or information.

awry

Emphasizes unexpected deviation of a procedure or result.

FAQs

How can I use "incorrectly" in a sentence?

You can use "incorrectly" to describe something done in an inaccurate or mistaken way. For example, "The data was "incorrectly" entered, leading to flawed conclusions."

What's the difference between "incorrectly" and "inaccurately"?

"Incorrectly" generally means something is wrong or false, while "inaccurately" suggests a lack of precision or exactness. Something can be "incorrectly" reported because it is entirely false, whereas something "inaccurately" reported may contain some truth but lack precise details.

What are some synonyms for "incorrectly"?

Some synonyms for "incorrectly" include "wrongly", "falsely", "erroneously", and "inaccurately". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

When is it appropriate to use "incorrectly"?

It's appropriate to use "incorrectly" when you want to state that something is wrong, false, or not in accordance with facts. For example, "The machine "incorrectly" calculated the total."