uncalled-for

American  

[uhn-kawld-fawr] / ʌnˈkɔldˌfɔr /

adjective

1. not called for; not required; superfluous; unwanted.

2. unwarranted; unjustified; improper.

   an uncalled-for criticism.

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uncalled-for British  

/ ˌʌnˈkɔːldfɔː /

adjective

1. unnecessary or unwarranted

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uncalled for Idioms  

1. Not justified, undeserved, as in That rude remark was uncalled for. [Early 1800s] Also see call for, def. 3.

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Etymology

Origin of uncalled-for

First recorded in 1600–10

Example Sentences

Outside of the uncalled-for bullying, Jessel's sarcastic delivery, her eccentric fashions and her seemingly connected status in the New York fashion scene have really cemented her as a star in the making.

From Salon • Oct. 18, 2023

Better, but still bad: a $37 crabcake, mushy in some places and dry in others, with muddy-tasting crab lumps and an intermittent, uncalled-for spicy heat.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 24, 2022

The comment quickly drew criticism among Japan’s Twitterati, who bemoaned a lack of tact in “yet another uncalled-for remark” by the former prime minister.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 29, 2020

It sounds like a deliberate and uncalled-for put-down.

From New York Times • Apr. 19, 2018

Any other thing a person might eat—a banana, an egg, the bean called mangwansi, a piece of fire-blackened antelope flesh—was just the opposite, and its consumption was seen as a remarkable, possibly uncalled-for occasion.

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver