right-and-wrong
/ˌraɪt ən ˈrɒŋ/ IELTSAcademic
adjective
Based on a clear idea of moral good and bad. It describes decisions, questions, or arguments about what is morally right or wrong.
- This is not just a right-and-wrong issue.
- She sees life in right-and-wrong terms.
- The film raises a right-and-wrong question.
Adinary Nuance
Use right-and-wrong when you mean a moral issue, not just a mistake. It is more about ethics than accuracy, so it is different from words like correct, true, or false. In many contexts, it sounds more thoughtful than saying something is simply bad or good.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- đúng sai
- Spanish
- bien y mal
- Chinese
- 是非
- Japanese
- 善悪
- Korean
- 옳고 그름
Etymology
The phrase comes from the common English words right and wrong, which have long been used together to talk about morality. It became a fixed phrase for moral judgment.
Common phrases
a right-and-wrong issueright-and-wrong thinkinga right-and-wrong question
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is right-and-wrong formal or informal?
- It is neutral and often used in writing or careful speech.
- What is the difference between right-and-wrong and correct?
- Correct means factually right. Right-and-wrong means morally good or bad.
- Can I use right-and-wrong for exams or answers?
- Usually no. For exams, use correct and incorrect instead.
- Is right-and-wrong a common phrase?
- Yes, but it is more common in thoughtful or serious contexts.