go astray

Leave the path

Go astray means to wander off the correct path or lose one's way, either literally or figuratively.

A package that goes astray fails to reach its intended destination.

More often the phrase describes moral or behavioral deviation—someone who goes astray strays from accepted standards or makes poor choices: He was a good kid who went astray after falling in with the wrong crowd.

Plans and intentions can also go astray when they fail to produce expected results.

morally

sin

Violation of divine law

transgressViolate a boundary
fallDescend under gravity
temptationUrge toward the unwise

corruption · vice · indiscretion · wrongdoing · misdeed · misconduct · yield · succumb · backslide · lapse

deviate

veer

Change course suddenly

wanderMove without fixed direction
driftGradual movement, no direction
divergeSeparate into directions

swerve · detour · meander · digress · sidetrack · depart · off course · off track · misroute · wayward

err

blunder

Foolish, costly mistake

misstepError in action or judgment
slipMinor error or misstep
errorFault in communication

miscalculate · misjudge · stumble · falter · bungle · botch · oversight · lapse · wrong · fault

misled

misguide

Lead in wrong direction

misleadCause false belief
deceiveCause false belief
misdirectLead away from truth

misinform · delude · confuse · bamboozle · hoodwink · beguile · dupe · manipulate · divert · distract

Opposites

directional/navigational correctness

go astraystay on track

stay the course · find one's way · go straight

moral/behavioral correctness

go astraystay true

Remain loyal, unchanged

keep the faith · toe the line · follow the rules · behave oneself

outcome/success

go astraysucceed

Achieve a desired aim

work out · come together · fall into place · pan out

Family

mistake, stray, mistaken, mistakes, astray, mistaking, erroneously, misplay

Familiarity: Top 50,000
Profile: Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Abstract · Negative · Everyday, not technical · Rated G