Wrongfully: meaning, definitions and examples

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wrongfully

 

[ ˈrɒŋ.fʊli ]

Adverb
Context #1 | Adverb

legal

In a wrongful manner; unjustly or unfairly.

Synonyms

illegitimately, unfairly, unjustly.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
wrongfully

Used when describing actions or decisions that are legally or ethically incorrect.

  • He was wrongfully accused of the crime.
  • She was wrongfully terminated from her job.
unjustly

Used when describing actions or decisions that are morally wrong or lack justice, often in a broader societal or legal context.

  • The prisoner was unjustly imprisoned for a crime he didn't commit.
  • The policy was criticized for being unjustly harsh on the poor.
unfairly

Used when describing actions or situations that lack justice or equality, mostly in social or personal contexts.

  • She felt she was unfairly treated by her boss.
  • The team lost unfairly due to a biased referee.
illegitimately

Used when describing actions or situations that are not authorized by law or are against legal norms.

  • The company was found to be operating illegitimately.
  • He inherited the property through illegitimate means.

Examples of usage

  • He was wrongfully accused of theft.
  • The company was wrongfully terminated by the landlord.
Context #2 | Adverb

general

Incorrectly or inaccurately.

Synonyms

erroneously, inaccurately, incorrectly.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
wrongfully

Used primarily in legal or moral discussions to describe actions that are unjust, illegal, or unethical.

  • He was wrongfully accused of the crime.
  • The company was sued for wrongfully terminating employees.
incorrectly

Used broadly to indicate that something is not correct, suitable for both formal and informal contexts.

  • The question was answered incorrectly on the test.
  • The instructions were incorrectly followed.
inaccurately

Used when specific details, facts, or measurements are not correct, often in scientific, technical, or everyday contexts.

  • The temperature was inaccurately recorded on the report.
  • His statement about the event was inaccurately paraphrased.
erroneously

Used in formal or academic contexts to describe actions or statements that contain mistakes or errors, but without moral or ethical implications.

  • The data was erroneously reported in the research paper.
  • She was erroneously identified as the suspect.

Examples of usage

  • She was wrongfully convinced that the project was due next week.
  • He wrongfully assumed that she was his friend.

Translations

Translations of the word "wrongfully" in other languages:

🇵🇹 injustamente

🇮🇳 गलत तरीके से

🇩🇪 unrechtmäßig

🇮🇩 salah

🇺🇦 неправомірно

🇵🇱 niesłusznie

🇯🇵 不当に

🇫🇷 injustement

🇪🇸 injustamente

🇹🇷 haksız yere

🇰🇷 부당하게

🇸🇦 ظلماً

🇨🇿 neprávem

🇸🇰 neprávom

🇨🇳 不公正地

🇸🇮 nepravično

🇮🇸 ranglega

🇰🇿 әділетсіздікпен

🇬🇪 უსამართლოდ

🇦🇿 haqsız olaraq

🇲🇽 injustamente

Etymology

The word 'wrongfully' originated from the Middle English word 'wrongfulli', which was a combination of 'wrong' and 'full'. It has been in use since the 14th century to describe actions or situations that are unjust, unfair, or incorrect. Over time, its usage has evolved to encompass legal contexts as well as general expressions of incorrectness or unfairness.

See also: wrongdoer, wrongdoing, wrongdoings, wronged, wrongly, wrongness.

Word Frequency Rank

At position #13,742, this word is part of sophisticated English vocabulary. It's useful for academic or professional contexts where precise language is needed.