must be wrong

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "must be wrong" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when expressing doubt or disbelief about the accuracy of information or a situation. Example: "The calculations seem off; something must be wrong with the data."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

It must be wrong.

The Guardian

And the raw data must be wrong.

The Economist

ONE of the presidents must be wrong.

The Economist

"We thought, This must be wrong".

The New Yorker

But that must be wrong you say.

The Guardian - Books

"I was thinking, this must be wrong.

The Guardian - Travel

I must be wrong, of course.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

One or both must be wrong," says Mr Milano.

The Economist

DeVita was told that his data must be wrong.

The New Yorker

I scoured newspapers and journals - he must be wrong.

The Guardian

Thursday 14th July Something must be wrong, on time!

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "must be wrong" to express a strong sense of disbelief or contradiction, especially when presented with conflicting evidence or unexpected results. Ensure the context supports the intensity of the statement.

Common error

While "must be wrong" is acceptable in many situations, consider alternatives like "appears to be inaccurate" or "seems to be flawed" in formal writing to maintain a professional tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "must be wrong" primarily functions as an assessment of something being incorrect or inaccurate. It conveys a strong sense of disbelief or contradiction. Ludwig provides numerous examples across diverse contexts illustrating this function.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Academia

18%

Science

16%

Less common in

Wiki

2%

Formal & Business

2%

Encyclopedias

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "must be wrong" is a common and grammatically sound way to express disbelief or contradiction, as confirmed by Ludwig. With 64 real-world examples, it appears frequently across diverse contexts like News & Media, Academia, and Science. While suitable for many situations, consider more formal alternatives like "appears to be inaccurate" in professional writing. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and provides valuable examples. The phrase functions as an assessment, conveying strong disagreement and prompting further investigation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

has to be incorrect

Emphasizes obligation or necessity regarding the incorrectness.

cannot be right

Expresses impossibility of being correct.

is probably mistaken

Indicates a likelihood of being incorrect, softening the assertion.

is likely inaccurate

Suggests a high chance of inaccuracy.

seems to be flawed

Highlights the presence of defects or imperfections.

appears to be erroneous

Implies an error in the data or information, using a more formal tone.

is almost certainly false

Communicates a strong conviction about the untruth.

is potentially invalid

Indicates a possibility of being not valid, often in a formal or legal context.

I daresay it's incorrect

A more old-fashioned expression of doubt and disbelief.

I suspect it's an error

Expresses a suspicion that an error has occurred.

FAQs

How can I use "must be wrong" in a sentence?

You can use "must be wrong" to express doubt or disbelief about a piece of information. For example, "The calculations seem off; something "must be wrong" with the data."

What are some alternatives to saying "must be wrong"?

You can use alternatives like "has to be incorrect", "cannot be right", or "is probably mistaken" depending on the context.

Is it appropriate to use "must be wrong" in formal writing?

While grammatically correct, "must be wrong" might sound too informal for certain contexts. Consider more formal alternatives like "appears to be erroneous" or "seems to be flawed".

What does it mean when someone says "must be wrong"?

It means that the speaker strongly suspects or believes that something is incorrect, inaccurate, or not as it should be. They're expressing a high degree of doubt or disbelief.