wrongfully

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "wrongfully" is correct and can be used in written English.
You can use it to describe something that has been done inaccurately or unjustly. Example sentence: The man was wrongfully accused of a crime he did not commit.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"I think this is of such importance to our community, and I can only assume, rightfully or wrongfully that Tamworth is considered a safe seat.

The Guardian

Rice, 41, would later be accused of threatening to kill the husband of another ex-girlfriend, having that man wrongfully arrested, and warning that he was preparing to kill himself, as part of an intense dispute that saw him twice disciplined by chiefs and stripped of his guns.

The Guardian

We wish to make clear that we fully accept that Louis Walsh has not acted wrongfully or improperly in any way in relation to the show.

The Guardian

The actions of a small minority should not be used to wrongfully label and stereotype more than 50 million people.

The Guardian

With one exception, the reports says there are no CIA records that indicate that anyone was held accountable for "the detention of individuals the CIA itself determined were wrongfully detained".

The Guardian

"False positive" rates (wrongfully accusing an innocent person) can be as high as 47%.The government acknowledges problems.

The Economist

He also happened to be Jewish.In 1894, Captain Alfred Dreyfus was secretly arrested, wrongfully convicted by a court martial of high treason, sentenced to life imprisonment, stripped of his military rank and shipped off in chains to solitary confinement in the sweltering heat of Devil's Island, a French territory off the coast of South America.

The Economist

Those who had sat in constricted postures scored an average of 2.78.Having established the principle, Dr Huang and Dr Galinsky went on to test the effect of posture on other power-related decisions: whether to speak first in a debate, whether to leave the site of a plane crash to find help and whether to join a movement to free a prisoner who was wrongfully locked up.

The Economist

Mick Palmer, a former head of the federal police force, is conducting an inquiry into the Immigration Department after allegations that it wrongfully detained up to 200 people lawfully resident in Australia.

The Economist

The council is led by a former ruling party official so Mr Kaczyński is crying foul play.Last month, it was proven that bodies of the victims of the Smolensk crash were mixed up before burial, including the corpse of Anna Walentynowicz, who many see as the wrongfully neglected founder of the Solidarity movement.

The Economist

He cited a case in which two men in Zhejiang province had been forced through torture to confess to rape and murder and wrongfully imprisoned causing a public uproar.In June the Ministry of Public Security issued a warning not only against torturing suspects, but also against setting unreasonable targets for closing cases (jurisdictions often boast of solving 100% of murder cases).

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "wrongfully" to clearly indicate that an action was not only incorrect but also morally or legally wrong. This is stronger than simply saying something was a "mistake."

Common error

Avoid using "wrong" when you mean "wrongfully". "Wrong" is a general term for incorrectness, while "wrongfully" specifically implies injustice or illegality. For example, say "he was wrongfully accused", not "he was wrong accused".

Linguistic Context

The word "wrongfully" functions as an adverb, modifying verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs to indicate that an action or state occurred unjustly or improperly. Ludwig AI confirms its appropriate usage in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

46%

Science

40%

Formal & Business

14%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "wrongfully" is a grammatically sound adverb used to describe actions performed unjustly, unfairly, or illegally. Ludwig AI confirms its appropriate and frequent use across various sources. It is common in legal, news, and academic writing, and should be used when you need to emphasize that something was done in a morally or legally incorrect manner. Alternatives like "unjustly", "unfairly", and "illegitimately" can be used depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey. Remember to use "wrongfully" to indicate injustice, rather than the general adjective "wrong".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

unjustly

This alternative emphasizes the lack of fairness or justice in the action.

unfairly

Similar to unjustly, but it can also refer to situations where rules or procedures are not equally applied.

unlawfully

Directly refers to the violation of legal statutes or regulations.

illegitimately

This implies a violation of laws, rules, or accepted standards.

improperly

Focuses on the inappropriate or unsuitable nature of the action.

erroneously

Highlights the mistake or error that led to the action.

inaccurately

Stresses the lack of correctness or precision in the action or statement.

without justification

Emphasizes the absence of a valid reason or excuse for the action.

undeservedly

Focuses on the lack of merit or entitlement to the action received.

by mistake

Implies the action was unintentional and resulted from an error.

FAQs

How to use "wrongfully" in a sentence?

Use "wrongfully" to describe actions that are unjust, unfair, or illegal. For example, "The defendant was "wrongfully convicted" of the crime", indicating that the conviction was not just.

What can I say instead of "wrongfully"?

You can use alternatives like "unjustly", "unfairly", or "illegitimately" depending on the specific context and the nuance you want to convey.

Which is correct: "wrongfully accused" or "wrong accused"?

"Wrongfully accused" is correct. The adverb "wrongfully" modifies the verb "accused", indicating that the accusation was unjust. "Wrong accused" is grammatically incorrect.

What's the difference between "wrongfully" and "mistakenly"?

"Wrongfully" implies injustice or illegality, suggesting a moral or legal wrong. "Mistakenly", on the other hand, simply means an error was made without necessarily implying any wrongdoing. For example, someone might be "wrongfully imprisoned" due to a biased trial, while someone might "mistakenly believe" something due to a misunderstanding.