syntactically wrong

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "syntactically wrong" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you are referring to something that is incorrect in terms of its grammar or syntax. For example: "The sentence was syntactically wrong due to its lack of a subject."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

The process of creating allcod.fs from allcod.smi is also useful as yet another check to detect possible syntax errors, since the presence of a syntactically wrong SMILES in allcod.smi interrupts the creation of allcod.fs and the moment in which the process is interrupted directly points to the position of the offending entry.

Journal of Cheminformatics

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

One can draw a flowchart that corresponds to a wrong algorithm, but the flowchart itself cannot be "syntactically incorrect", since the visual editor allows no illegal links between the elements.

Human-centric Computing and Information Sciences

Importantly, sentences of all possible conditions, that is semantically and syntactically correct, semantically incorrect, syntactically incorrect, and filler sentences, were presented randomly within the experiment.

Plosone

We manually corrected seven syntactically incorrect KEGG Compound IDs and 50 KEGG Glycan IDs in BiGG.

BMC Systems Biology

I managed to mess up the tweet syntactically and spell "IFTTT" wrong, but, hey, it was a first effort.

TechCrunch

An entirely well-intentioned — and syntactically accurate — use of the wrong word is an invitation to being called a racist, homophobe, sexist, etc. (and actual disagreement is tantamount to heresy).

Los Angeles Times

Out of the symbols we built first-order formulae that were either syntactically correct or incorrect.

Plosone

All expressions were either syntactically correct or incorrect, but were always without any semantic meaning.

Plosone

That is, in correct sentences nouns and auditory adjectives are syntactically mismatching whereas in incorrect sentences nouns and auditory adjectives are syntactically matching (see Fig. 2).

Plosone

These phrases were syntactically ambiguous between different syntactic roles.

Brain

As such, it's the most straightforward way, syntactically speaking, for a coach, boss or bureaucrat to seem to be admitting something went wrong while not putting themselves, or any other human, on the line.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing code or formal languages, use "syntactically wrong" to specifically indicate errors in the arrangement of symbols and commands, as opposed to semantic or logical errors.

Common error

Avoid using "syntactically wrong" when you actually mean the statement is logically flawed or factually incorrect. Syntax refers to the structure, while semantics refers to the meaning.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "syntactically wrong" functions as an adjective phrase, modifying a noun to indicate that something violates the structural rules of a language or system. Ludwig AI confirms that the phrase is grammatically correct and usable. For example, it can describe a sentence or a line of code.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

35%

News & Media

33%

Academia

32%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "syntactically wrong" is a grammatically correct term used to describe something that violates the structural rules of a language or system. Ludwig AI confirms its usability and provides examples from diverse sources. It is most frequently found in scientific, academic, and news contexts. Alternatives include "grammatically incorrect" and "structurally flawed". When using this phrase, ensure you are referring to structural errors rather than semantic or logical flaws. While relatively rare, the phrase is well-understood and appropriate in formal, technical, and general discussions.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

syntactically incorrect

Uses "incorrect" instead of "wrong", offering a slightly more formal tone.

grammatically incorrect

Replaces "syntactically" with "grammatically", focusing on the broader concept of grammatical errors.

ungrammatical

Uses a single word to describe the violation of grammar rules.

structurally flawed

Shifts the focus to the structural aspect of the error, rather than the syntactic one.

syntactic error

Replaces the adjective "wrong" with the noun "error", focusing on the mistake itself.

faulty syntax

Highlights the syntax as being defective or imperfect.

improper syntax

Indicates that the syntax used does not conform to accepted standards.

erroneous syntax

Uses "erroneous" to emphasize the incorrectness of the syntax.

syntactic violation

Frames the issue as a violation of syntactic rules.

ill-formed syntax

Describes the syntax as poorly or incorrectly constructed.

FAQs

How can I identify if something is "syntactically wrong"?

Check if the sentence or code violates the rules of grammar or the language's structure. If the elements are not arranged correctly, it's likely "syntactically wrong".

What's the difference between "syntactically wrong" and "semantically wrong"?

"Syntactically wrong" means the structure is incorrect, like a grammatical error. "Semantically wrong" means the meaning is incorrect, even if the structure is correct. They address different types of errors.

What are some alternatives to saying something is "syntactically wrong"?

You can use phrases like "grammatically incorrect", "structurally flawed", or "syntactically incorrect" depending on the context.

In what context is it appropriate to use the term "syntactically wrong"?

Use "syntactically wrong" when discussing languages, code, or any system with defined structural rules. For instance, it's common in programming or linguistic analyses.