wrongly

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'wrongly' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to express disapproval about an action or decision, such as in the sentence: "He was wrongly accused of a crime he did not commit."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

They were wrongly accused of misappropriating union funds for their personal use.

The Guardian - Opinion

Mr Stan Crowther, Labour MP for Rotherham and former mayor of the town, said he was unhappy with the socialist republic slogan because it wrongly implied South Yorkshire could act independently of decisions at Westminster.

The Guardian

This article replaces a previous version which wrongly stated that the SFO had "decided against" pursuing the Conservative party for return of funds allegedly stolen from the Polly Peck group by Asil Nadir.

The Guardian - Business

Photograph: Caetano Barreira/Fotoarena/Corbis Updated at 11.34pm BST Facebook Twitter Google plus Share Share this post Facebook Twitter Google plus close 11.29pm BST23 29 ET28: Slimani, who I suspect I may have wrongly subbed off earlier, is put through on goal with another pass in behind the German defence.

The Guardian - Sport

But the panic over children's technology use wrongly assumes that all parents before the internet or Apple were somehow spending hours a day making sure their kids were properly stimulated.

The Guardian - Opinion

What they fear is being wrongly dismissed as past it: out of step, technologically or culturally, with an office of bright young things and incapable of learning new tricks.

The Guardian - Opinion

Even herbal medicines and herbal supplements used wrongly can kill".

The Guardian

The BBC does not have to continue on the path that it wrongly chose after the dismissal of Alasdair Milne as director general.

The Guardian - Opinion

The Shawshank Redemption Sleeper hit The Shawshank Redemption, stars Tim Robbins as Andy Dufresne: a banker wrongly jailed for murdering his wife, who spends two decades getting sweet revenge on the corrupt governor, while plotting his own ingenious escape.

The Guardian

Peter Delamothe, a housing benefit consultant at HBinfo, said one council had identified 250 tenants wrongly ruled liable for the bedroom tax: "This is a shambles caused by the DWP failing to understand the significance of their own legislation".

The Guardian

New Labour rightly distilled the lesson that there can be advantages to being open to international investment – think of Toyota's expanding Derbyshire plant – but wrongly leapt to the conclusion that the state's only duty in policing takeovers was to safeguard competition.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "wrongly", ensure the context clearly indicates what the correct or just action should have been. This provides clarity and strengthens your argument.

Common error

Avoid using "wrongly" in situations where a subjective judgment is involved. It's more appropriate for factual errors than differing opinions.

Linguistic Context

The adverb "wrongly" primarily functions to modify a verb, indicating that an action was performed incorrectly or unjustly. Ludwig AI confirms that "wrongly" is correct and usable in English, used to express disapproval about an action or decision.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

98%

Formal & Business

1%

Science

1%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The adverb "wrongly" is a versatile term used to indicate that something has been done incorrectly, unfairly, or unjustly. As Ludwig AI states, it's a correct and usable term for expressing disapproval. It's most frequently found in News & Media and Formal & Business contexts and is considered grammatically correct. When using "wrongly", ensure the context clearly highlights what the correct or just action should have been. Alternatives such as "incorrectly", "unjustly", and "mistakenly" can be used to nuance the meaning depending on the specific situation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

incorrectly

Focuses on the factual inaccuracy of an action or statement.

mistakenly

Emphasizes the error in understanding or judgment that led to the action.

erroneously

Highlights the deviation from what is true or correct, often in a formal context.

unjustly

Emphasizes the lack of fairness or justice in the action or decision.

unfairly

Stresses the inequitable nature of the treatment or situation.

inaccurately

Focuses on the lack of precision or truth in the information or action.

undeservedly

Highlights that the action or consequence was not merited or justified.

in error

Emphasizes the presence of a mistake or fault.

by mistake

Indicates that the action occurred unintentionally due to an error.

without justification

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

FAQs

How can I use "wrongly" in a sentence?

Use "wrongly" to indicate that something was done incorrectly or unjustly. For example, "He was "wrongly accused" of the crime".

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

"Wrongly" often carries a connotation of injustice or moral failing, while "incorrectly" simply means not accurate. You'd use "wrongly" if someone was unfairly blamed, and "incorrectly" if they made a factual error.

What can I say instead of "wrongly"?

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

Is it correct to say "rightly or wrongly"?

Yes, the phrase "rightly or "rightly or wrongly"" is a common idiom used to acknowledge that an action or belief may or may not be justified, but is being considered regardless.