One wrong answer does not automatically end your chances. Interviewers are evaluating the total performance, not treating the interview like a one-question exam.

What matters more is whether the mistake looked like a brief miss or whether it reflected a deeper issue in your reasoning. A candidate can absolutely recover from one wrong option if the broader case performance was strong.

The bigger risk is often how candidates react after the mistake. If you visibly spiral, lose confidence, or stop thinking clearly, the single miss starts affecting the rest of the interview.

So yes, it can still be fine. Try to evaluate the whole round, not just the most painful moment in it. You may also find it helpful to read asking for interview feedback after a rejection if you want a more structured way to practice this.

Did the interviewer move on normally after the wrong answer, or did they spend a lot of time correcting your reasoning?

Everyone fixates on the one painful moment. The interviewer is looking at the whole picture.

If the rest of the case was good, one option question should not define everything.

What kills you more is getting rattled and turning one mistake into three.

McKinsey interviews can still go your way even if one part feels bad afterward.