unfounded
Americanadjective
-
without foundation; not based on fact, realistic considerations, or the like.
unfounded suspicions.
- Synonyms:
- unjustified, false, idle, groundless, unsubstantiated
-
not established; not founded.
the prophet of a religion as yet unfounded.
adjective
-
(of ideas, allegations, etc) baseless; groundless
-
not yet founded or established
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of unfounded
Explanation
Has someone ever told a complete lie about you? Then what they said was unfounded. There is nothing behind an unfounded statement. Things that are unfounded include lies, myths, and sometimes rumors. If something is unfounded, then there is no truth to it: the facts won't back it up. People often use this word when denying something: they'll say "Your words are unfounded!" Made-up creatures like unicorns and werewolves are unfounded. If you're writing a paper for school, you've better make sure nothing in your paper is unfounded — research the facts instead.
Vocabulary lists containing unfounded
Fake It 'Til You Make It: Synonyms for "False"
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "U"
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"Laws are not the only way to boost immunization”: an editorial from Nature
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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.
Macau authorities also expressed "strong dissatisfaction with and firm opposition to the unfounded remarks made" by the EU and the UN's rights office.
From Barron's ● Nov. 10, 2026
The piece also said he had received backing from an "Andrew Fox", who the article described as having reviewed the claims and deemed them to be "unfounded".
From BBC ● Oct. 24, 2026
Iran’s Embassy in the U.K. categorically rejected attempts to link Iran to the arrests, calling the reports unfounded and malicious speculations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026
Vocelle finds criticism that cat dads are seen as feminine, neurotic or less desirable as a relatively modern and unfounded affliction.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026
In refusing to do so he was simply being greedy, intransigent and ruled by unfounded fears and mistaken beliefs.
From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
