unfair
Americanadjective
-
not fair; not conforming to approved standards, as of justice, honesty, or ethics.
an unfair law;
an unfair wage policy.
-
disproportionate; undue; beyond what is proper or fitting.
an unfair share.
adjective
-
characterized by inequality or injustice
-
dishonest or unethical
Other Word Forms
- unfairly adverb
- unfairness noun
Etymology
Origin of unfair
First recorded before 900; 1705–15 unfair for def. 1; Middle English: “uncomely, ugly”; Old English unfæger; cognate with Old Norse ūfagr; un- 1 + fair 1
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.
The other legal tools the White House is considering, known as Section 301 and Section 232, allow the US to impose tariffs in response to unfair trade practices and national security threats, respectively.
From BBC
In defence of Arsenal - is criticism of Premier League leaders unfair?
From BBC
But some experts argue that if the EU wants to confront what it sees as unfair competition, Brussels has other tools at its disposal.
From Barron's
"We find it unprofessional and we find it unfair. We are looking forward to this being conducted under the rules and being conducted consistent with expectations."
From BBC
Usually I’d care about something like that, but at the moment I felt like nothing mattered except how unfair this all was.
From Literature
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.
