astray
adverb or adjective
ə-ˈstrā 
1
: off the right path or route : straying
2
: in error : away from what is proper or desirable
Synonyms
- afield
- amiss
- awry
- wrong
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web This leads us to becoming outcast, bullied and led astray. 
Chloé Hayden, refinery29.com, 30 Aug. 2022 Director Peyfa’s oblique approach to the narrative leads one astray. John Anderson, WSJ, 17 Mar. 2022 Putin was led astray by military advisers about how poorly the Russian military has been performing in Ukraine and how the Russian economy is being crippled by sanctions. Maegan Vazquez And Sam Fossum, CNN, 31 Mar. 2022 Ukraine’s rightful place was under the protection and imperial care of Russia, not led astray—politically, militarily, culturally—by the West. The New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2022 At the beginning of the story, Virgil finds Dante the pilgrim (distinct from Dante the author) in a dark wood, led astray from the path of righteousness by his own sinful inclinations. John-paul Heil, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Nov. 2021 What this story reveals is how easily governmental institutions can be destroyed when people are led astray by intoxicating notions of a place in the sun. Washington Post, 7 Jan. 2022 Others were swept up in the moment’s savagery, led astray by stronger wills with dangerous motives. Karl Rove, WSJ, 5 Jan. 2022 Many were led astray by Google Maps, which offered alternate driving routes that sent drivers to snowy dead ends. Amy Alonzo, USA TODAY, 29 Dec. 2021 See More
Chloé Hayden, refinery29.com, 30 Aug. 2022 Director Peyfa’s oblique approach to the narrative leads one astray. John Anderson, WSJ, 17 Mar. 2022 Putin was led astray by military advisers about how poorly the Russian military has been performing in Ukraine and how the Russian economy is being crippled by sanctions. Maegan Vazquez And Sam Fossum, CNN, 31 Mar. 2022 Ukraine’s rightful place was under the protection and imperial care of Russia, not led astray—politically, militarily, culturally—by the West. The New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2022 At the beginning of the story, Virgil finds Dante the pilgrim (distinct from Dante the author) in a dark wood, led astray from the path of righteousness by his own sinful inclinations. John-paul Heil, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Nov. 2021 What this story reveals is how easily governmental institutions can be destroyed when people are led astray by intoxicating notions of a place in the sun. Washington Post, 7 Jan. 2022 Others were swept up in the moment’s savagery, led astray by stronger wills with dangerous motives. Karl Rove, WSJ, 5 Jan. 2022 Many were led astray by Google Maps, which offered alternate driving routes that sent drivers to snowy dead ends. Amy Alonzo, USA TODAY, 29 Dec. 2021 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Anglo-French estraié wandering, from estraier to stray — more at stray
First Known Use
13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
astray
adverb or adjective
ə-ˈstrā
1
: off the right path or route
Our rocket went astray after liftoff.
2
: in or into error
Their plans have gone astray.
astray
adverb
as in wrong
off the desired or intended path or course I think we were led astray by the unfortunate similarity of the two names Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- wrong
- awry
- afield
- badly
- incorrectly
- amiss
- wrongly
- mistakenly
- improperly
- inappropriately
- faultily
- inadequately
- insufficiently
- unpromisingly
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- well
- right
- aright
- perfectly
- rightly
- properly
- correctly
- favorably
- appropriately
- auspiciously
- promisingly
- suitably
- fittingly