unfair
Americanadjective
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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.
Eventually we learned I had an immune condition; I also had mono, which felt cosmically unfair considering I had not yet been kissed and suspected I’d contracted it from the skating rink water fountain.
From Salon • Mar. 31, 2026
Ferguson said the law was needed to “rebalance an unfair system.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026
The payouts relate to commission arrangements between lenders and dealers, unfair contracts and inaccurate information given to car buyers.
From BBC • Mar. 29, 2026
"A ban on trail hunting is unnecessary, unjustified and unfair," he said.
From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026
It felt unfair, to see two people so in love with each other when Moss had nothing.
From "Anger Is a Gift" by Mark Oshiro
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.
