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

Also in Weekend Reads: The latest on SpaceX and other IPOs, a raw deal for Alphabet’s non-Berkshire shareholders and advice from the Moneyist.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026

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

The Beavers and Cougars have gotten a raw deal as the Pac-12 fell apart, leaving them looking at a future outside the Power Five while the other 10 schools scrambled to new conferences.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 20, 2023

All I'm afraid of is some one's gave him a raw deal.

From The Big-Town Round-Up by Raine, William MacLeod