noun
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the condition or practice of being unjust or unfair
-
an unjust act
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of injustice
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin injūstitia; equivalent to in- 3 + justice
Compare meaning
How does injustice compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
Life isn’t fair, and that quality is exactly what defines injustice: something unfair that happens, often in violation of a basic human right. In the early 19th century in the United States, women could not legally vote, but they fought back against this injustice and eventually won voting rights. The word comes from a Latin phrase that literally means “not right,” and injustice is the opposite of justice, which is a fair and righteous act. Injustice can be general or specific, like the injustice suffered by poor people everywhere, or an individual act of injustice committed by some unkind person.
Vocabulary lists containing injustice
Figurative Language in King's "I Have a Dream" Speech (1963)
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"The Civil Rights Movement"
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Brown Girl Dreaming
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
“They’ve been through a lot and carried a lot of burden. But they’ve responded, they have risen to fight against injustice again and again.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 2026
The cases are a textbook attempt at jackpot injustice.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
The unfortunate reality is that nearly every period of injustice the U.S. has experienced has come at the expense of human lives.
From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026
The Labour MP for Makerfield said he believes there is a need to "build a Britain where every community is treated with equal respect and where, in the face of injustice, nobody walks alone".
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026
“Babas right. And Malala's case got a lot of international attention, but sadly, poor girls suffer from injustice everywhere in the world. Including in America.”
From "Amina's Song" by Hena Khan
“The Lineage fire exposed long-standing environmental injustices impacting Boyle Heights in East L.A. and other areas,” said school board member Rocío Rivas, who represents the area.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 30, 2026
For every moment of glory, there is a hard-luck story, a nation left to bemoan their misfortune and the injustices that have led to their downfall.
From BBC ● Jun. 28, 2026
Her report recommends apologising to Mrs P and making a payment of £2,000 to reflect the injustices caused.
From BBC ● Jun. 20, 2026
That a major publisher should in 2026 release a book on Protestant missionaries that isn’t about the injustices of colonialism may come as a surprise.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026
“It’s true, America is a country with a history of injustice, but can we learn from those injustices? Make sure our society is indeed democratic and fair to all who reside here?”
From "Here to Stay" by Sara Farizan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
