unfair

[ uhn-fair ]

adjective

1. not fair; not conforming to approved standards, as of justice, honesty, or ethics:

   an unfair law;

   an unfair wage policy.

2. disproportionate; undue; beyond what is proper or fitting:

   an unfair share.

unfair

/ ʌnˈfɛə /

adjective

1. characterized by inequality or injustice
2. dishonest or unethical

Derived Forms

• unˈfairly, adverb
• unˈfairness, noun

Other Words From

• un·fairly adverb
• un·fairness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of unfair¹

First recorded before 900; 1705–15 unfair fordef 1; Middle English: “uncomely, ugly”; Old English unfæger; cognate with Old Norse ūfagr; un- ¹ + fair ¹

Example Sentences

The ruling is the result of an investigation which the Commission opened in 2021, after Meta's rivals complained that Facebook Marketplace gave it an unfair advantage.

From BBC

The European Commission said this meant alternative classified ads services had faced "unfair trading conditions", making it harder for them to compete.

From BBC

But while being handsome and totally unqualified got Hegseth the job, it's unfair to say those are the only things he brings to the table.

From Salon

“The so-called elites directing the military today… believe power is bad, merit is unfair, ideology is more important that industriousness, white people are yesterday, and safety! is better than risk-taking,” Hegseth writes in his book “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free.”

From Los Angeles Times

He argued it was "fundamentally unfair" for a block of clerics to "have a right and a say over our legislation".

From BBC

Related Words

• arbitrary
• biased
• cruel
• discriminatory
• dishonest
• illegal
• immoral
• improper
• inequitable
• inexcusable
• one-sided
• partisan
• shameful
• unethical
• unjust
• unjustifiable
• unlawful
• unreasonable
• unwarranted
• wrong