English · Proverb Attested

two wrongs don't make a right

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

A wrongful action is not a morally appropriate way to correct or cancel a previous wrongful action.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

hành động sai lầm không phải là cách đúng để sửa hoặc hủy hành động sai lầm trước

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Where it’s used: Used American English

But when it comes to taking what belongs to another—well, a thief is a thief. . . . After all, two wrongs don't make a right, do they?

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “two wrongs don't make a right” mean?

A wrongful action is not a morally appropriate way to correct or cancel a previous wrongful action.

Is “two wrongs don't make a right” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.

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