unfair

[uhn-fair]

adjective

1. not fair; not conforming to approved standards, as of justice, honesty, or ethics.

   an unfair law;

   an unfair wage policy.

2. disproportionate; undue; beyond what is proper or fitting.

   an unfair share.

unfair

/ ʌnˈfɛə /

adjective

1. characterized by inequality or injustice

2. dishonest or unethical

Other Word Forms

• unfairly adverb
• unfairness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of unfair¹

First recorded before 900; 1705–15 unfair for def. 1; Middle English: “uncomely, ugly”; Old English unfæger; cognate with Old Norse ūfagr; un- ¹ + fair ¹

Example Sentences

TelevisaUnivision says that amounts to a “Hispanic tax” and is unfair to a channel that serves a fast-growing audience.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

China has long been in his crosshairs - for what he described as unfair trade practices - and was hit with tariffs in his first term too.

Read more on BBC

The union local that represents the plant workers said late Tuesday it had filed a second unfair labor practices complaint to federal regulators over the company’s “refusal to bargain in good faith.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

In the speech, he said that his administration will end “unfair trade barriers” and overhaul “weak, pathetic” supply chains, touting agreements signed during his Asia trip.

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During the debate, the chairwoman of the Education Select Committee, Helen Hayes, called on the government "to do more to work with the travel industry" to stop "unfair price hikes".

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• arbitrary 
• biased 
• cruel 
• discriminatory 
• dishonest 
• illegal 
• immoral 
• improper 
• inequitable 
• inexcusable 
• one-sided 
• partisan 
• shameful 
• unethical 
• unjust 
• unjustifiable 
• unlawful 
• unreasonable 
• unwarranted 
• wrong