raw deal

Idioms  

1. An instance of unfair or harsh treatment, as in After 25 years with the bank Bob got a raw deal—no pension, no retirement benefits of any kind, just a gold watch. Raw here means “crude” or “unfair.” [First half of 1900s]

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Example Sentences

A youth charity boss suggests: "It's like a guilty secret, the country knows that young people are getting a raw deal but nobody is doing anything about it."

From BBC • Dec. 6, 2025

Sharks have been getting a raw deal from humans for a long time.

From Salon • Jul. 21, 2024

"I just think that Steve got a raw deal," said Representative Vern Buchanan.

From Reuters • Oct. 13, 2023

Permit me to save you the trouble of finding out for yourself: “Be Useful” is a raw deal, a hollow PR exercise filled with precepts and quips but devoid of self-awareness or humility.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 6, 2023

Brandes yawned: “It would be a raw deal if there’s a war over here,” he said listlessly.

From The Dark Star by Stevens, William Dodge