unduly
Americanadverb
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excessively.
unduly worried.
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in an inappropriate, unjustifiable, or improper manner.
unduly critical.
adverb
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immoderately; excessively
-
in contradiction of moral or legal standards
Etymology
Origin of unduly
First recorded in 1350–1400, unduly is from the Middle English word undewely. See undue, -ly
Explanation
If something is done unduly, it's done out of proportion with what's reasonable or right. If you're unduly treated, you're not treated in the way you deserve to be. Duly comes from the late 14th century duweliche meaning "rightly, properly." The prefix un-, meaning "not" of course reverses that meaning so with unduly we get "not rightly or properly." You might become unduly angry with a toddler for tracking mud into the house. Unduly can also mean "excessively." Worrying unduly about the future can be paralyzing. Sometimes it's good to take the days as they come.
Vocabulary lists containing unduly
"Letter from Birmingham Jail" by Martin Luther King, Jr. (1963)
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Hatchet
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Excerpt from "Letter from Birmingham Jail"
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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.
Parental controls in general have become unduly burdensome for families as teens use multiple apps to communicate with friends.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026
They called for "clear statutory safeguards" so that the music was only used when it was "genuinely relevant, reliable and not unduly prejudicial".
From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026
In 1779 Edward Gibbon was compelled to respond to critics who alleged that his “Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire” was unduly irreverent.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
It found that prediction markets are unduly influenced by their biggest traders, and these so-called “whales” do worse, on average, than those who place smaller bets.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 13, 2026
He did not want to seem unduly excited over these new developments.
From "Native Son" by Richard Wright
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.
