Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
wrong side out

wrong side out

1 4.9
The inside of clothing shows on the outside
  • idiom
translation icon : al revés
  • She realized her shirt was wrong side out when she saw the seams in the mirror.

Examples

  • Don't wear it wrong side out!

  • She wore her shirt wrong side out without realizing it until lunchtime.

  • Before sewing, check that the fabric isn't wrong side out.

  • He accidentally put his T-shirt on wrong side out after rushing out in the morning.

  • She wore her shirt wrong side out by mistake.

  • Don't forget to wear the jacket wrong side out for the costume party!

  • He often left his clothes wrong side out after trying them on in a hurry.

Synonyms

inside-out
vswrong side out
3 3.0

With the inner side showing on the outside

restricts usage to garments and fabric rather than any object
wrong-side-out
vswrong side out
7.5

The inside of clothing shows on the outside

is the spaced expression used for the same garment sense

Antonyms

right-side-out
1 4.8

The outside of clothing or fabric faces outward

Surface Forms

wrong side out positive

Morphology

wrong + side + out

The meaning 'with the inside surface facing outward' is directly derivable from combining 'wrong' (the incorrect/intended-inward side) + 'side' (surface) + 'out' (outward); the phrase literally says that the wrong side is out. This parallels common constructions like 'inside out' and is a straightforward clothing-related composition that a B1 learner who knows the constituents can infer.

Etymology

Wrong side out comes from sewing and clothes. It means the wrong side is out, so the 'inside' of a shirt or fabric shows instead of the 'outside', and the piece of clothing is the wrong way round.