incorrect

Incorrect is an adjective meaning not in accordance with fact, truth, or accuracy; not correct. It is used to describe statements, answers, conclusions, or methods that fail to meet a standard of correctness. In everyday language it can function as a direct label (That is incorrect) or as a description of a process (the calculation is incorrect).

In education and assessment, incorrect marks indicate errors relative to a defined key or rubric. In computing and user interfaces, error messages often use the term to signal invalid input or behavior, such as an "Incorrect password" or "Incorrect format." In everyday speech, the word can carry a milder or more direct tone than alternatives like wrong or false, depending on context and intent.

Etymology traces incorrect to the Latin incorrectus, from in- meaning not and correctus meaning made right, itself from corrigere, “to make straight” or “to set right.” The form entered English via Old or Middle French and Latin, solidifying its current sense by the early modern period.

Nuances distinguish incorrect from related terms. False generally refers to truth-value and a proposition that is not true, whereas incorrect often emphasizes deviation from a specific standard or criterion. Erroneous and mistaken highlight error or fallacy, sometimes with connotations of incomplete understanding or judgment errors. Incorrect can describe a single flawed assertion, a flawed method, or an incomplete conclusion, and it does not always imply intent.

Related terms include wrong, erroneous, and mistaken. The word remains a common, neutral descriptor across education, logic, technology, and discourse.