unwarranted
Britishadjective
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lacking justification or authorization
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another word for unwarrantable
Explanation
When something is unwarranted it's not called-for under the given circumstances. For example, debating the merits of someone's talent is one thing, but calling them stupid is unwarranted. I thought the applause was unwarranted. After all, all the guy did was stand there and point for two hours. And when that lady started screaming? That was unwarranted, too: all I did was give her a flat. It was an accident! Think of it this way: when the police want to search your home, they have to get a "warrant" — a document that allows them to enter. To go into your home without a warrant would be unwarranted. A warrant is a kind of justification; without that justification, something could be called unwarranted.
Vocabulary lists containing unwarranted
The Devil's Arithmetic
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "U"
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Dwight D. Eisenhower, "The Military-Industrial Complex" (1961)
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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.
But the jump from “It hasn’t happened yet” to “It will never happen” is unwarranted.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026
But the Goldman analysts say the multiple compression is unwarranted because earnings estimates have been stable.
From Barron's • Apr. 28, 2026
Many scholars question the fairness of vicarious liability in criminal cases, viewing it as an unwarranted exception to the general rule that criminal responsibility must be personal.
From Slate • Mar. 5, 2026
The issue becomes more urgent as the language of chatbots becomes more sophisticated and fluent, inspiring unwarranted confidence in their conclusions, the researchers cautioned.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 26, 2026
The fuss feels unwarranted as they step into a stark, sunken dining room.
From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri
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.
