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.
King: That there’s no one who’s going to have your journey, so try to just believe your own unfounded drive and see where it gets you.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 16, 2026
Now that he’s trying, he might find—though he will never publicly admit—that his critique was unfounded.
From Slate • Jun. 15, 2026
She said recent decisions from the bankruptcy court demonstrate that many of the allegations and claims against Rabo are unfounded.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 7, 2026
In his letter, Andic said the "deeply painful" death of his father had been made worse by having to deal with "the most serious, unjust and unfounded accusation a person can face".
From Barron's • May 26, 2026
Joe learned everything true and untrue, founded and unfounded, every ugly conjecture.
From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck
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.
