wrongfulness
State of erring
Wrongfulness is the quality of being wrong, unjust, or morally improper.
The term appears most often in legal contexts, where it distinguishes acts that are merely harmful from those that violate rights or duties: The court examined the wrongfulness of the defendant's conduct.
Outside law, it sounds formal and somewhat stilted compared to simply calling something wrong.
Unjust differential treatment
- inequityUnfair distribution or treatment
- unfairnessUnjust or biased treatment
- oppressionUnjust exercise of power
- biasUnfair inclination or prejudice
prejudice · victimization · persecution · disparity · denial of rights · grievance · travesty · atrocity
Violation of divine law
- wickednessMoral corruption or evil
- depravityProfound moral corruption
- viceBad habit or deputy
- iniquityMoral wrongdoing, grave injustice
transgression · evil · turpitude · misdeed · unethical conduct · perfidy · maleficence · reprobation
Illegal action, prosecutable
- felonySerious criminal offense
- misdemeanorLesser criminal charge
- violationBreaking of rules
- offenseViolation or umbrage
infraction · breach · transgression · contraband · smuggling · trespassing · unlawful conduct · unauthorized action
Cruel or harmful behavior
- abuseCruel or violent treatment
- crueltyDeliberate harm-causing disposition
- maltreatmentCruel or harmful treatment
- degradationDecline in condition
exploitation · injury · damage · suffering · victimhood · neglect · disservice · debasement
Corrupt payment for influence
- embezzlementFraudulent taking of entrusted assets
- fraudIntentional criminal trickery
- graftIllicit political gain
- extortionObtaining through threats
kickbacks · money laundering · misappropriation · racketeering · profiteering · swindle · nepotism · cronyism
discrimination
Unjust differential treatment
- inequityUnfair distribution or treatment
- unfairnessUnjust or biased treatment
- oppressionUnjust exercise of power
bias · prejudice · victimization · persecution · disparity · denial of rights · grievance · travesty · atrocity · abuse
sin
Violation of divine law
- wickednessMoral corruption or evil
- depravityProfound moral corruption
- viceBad habit or deputy
iniquity · transgression · evil · turpitude · misdeed · unethical conduct · perfidy · maleficence · reprobation · degeneracy
criminal act
Illegal action, prosecutable
- felonySerious criminal offense
- misdemeanorLesser criminal charge
- violationBreaking of rules
offense · infraction · breach · transgression · contraband · smuggling · trespassing · unlawful conduct · unauthorized action · lawbreaking
mistreatment
Cruel or harmful behavior
- abuseCruel or violent treatment
- crueltyDeliberate harm-causing disposition
- maltreatmentCruel or harmful treatment
degradation · exploitation · injury · damage · suffering · victimhood · neglect · disservice · debasement · ill-treatment
bribery
Corrupt payment for influence
- embezzlementFraudulent taking of entrusted assets
- fraudIntentional criminal trickery
- graftIllicit political gain
extortion · kickbacks · money laundering · misappropriation · racketeering · profiteering · swindle · nepotism · cronyism · payola
- tort lawtort, tort law, negligence, duty of care, breach of duty
- criminal lawcrime, felony, misdemeanor, murder, robbery
wrongfulnessrightfulness
Moral or legal validity
righteousness · rightness · virtue · goodness · integrity
wrongfulnesslawfulness
Conformity to regulations
legality · legitimacy · permissibility · compliance · right
wrongfulnessjustifiability
State of being warranted
rightness · defensibility · appropriateness · reasonableness · fittingness
wrong, wrongs, wronged, wrongdoing, wrongful, wrongdoer, wrongfully, wrongness