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

Logie, who left Division II Point Loma to become Montana State’s head man last season, inherited a raw deal with the Bobcats.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 25, 2024

"It's a raw deal you're givin' us, but I reckon you know yore own business, Wadley."

From Oh, You Tex! by Raine, William MacLeod