unjust
Americanadjective
-
not just; lacking in justice or fairness.
unjust criticism;
an unjust ruler.
- Synonyms:
- unjustifiable, unmerited, undeserved, biased, prejudiced, unfair, partial, inequitable
-
Archaic. unfaithful or dishonest.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of unjust
Explanation
Something or someone that is unjust is just not fair. An unjust boss might fire you the very first time you're late for work. You might think of the word justice in order to remember the meaning of the word just, which means "fairness or righteousness." An unjust judge does not play by the rules; he might send a person to jail even though there isn't enough evidence that a crime was committed. Unjust behavior is improper or dishonest: "The professor acted in an unjust manner when he gave everyone an F just because there was a rumor that his students didn’t like him."
Vocabulary lists containing unjust
Power Prefix: un-
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "U"
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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.
In October 2025, Seoul apologised for the first time for state-sanctioned malpractices, saying "unjust human rights violations" were committed.
From Barron's • Jun. 4, 2026
The Indigenous Youth Association of Moskitia - the ancestral region Rivera hailed from - expressed its "profound indignation at the inhuman, cruel and unjust treatment he endured in his final years".
From BBC • May 31, 2026
Here’s what we discovered: First, prosecutors did something called “vouching,” assuring grand jurors that they are trustworthy and would never bring an unjust case, so the charges must be sound.
From Slate • May 22, 2026
In 2024, Musk accused OpenAI and Altman of unjust enrichment and breaching a charitable trust, according to his lawsuit filed in federal court in the Northern District of California.
From MarketWatch • May 18, 2026
But feelings can’t be ignored, no matter how unjust or ungrateful they seem.
From "The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank
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.
