unfounded

American  

[uhn-foun-did] / ʌnˈfaʊn dɪd /

adjective

1. without foundation; not based on fact, realistic considerations, or the like.

   unfounded suspicions.

   Synonyms:

   unjustified, false, idle, groundless, unsubstantiated

2. not established; not founded.

   the prophet of a religion as yet unfounded.

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unfounded British  

/ ʌnˈfaʊndɪd /

adjective

1. (of ideas, allegations, etc) baseless; groundless

2. not yet founded or established

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Other Word Forms

• unfoundedly adverb
• unfoundedness noun

Etymology

Origin of unfounded

First recorded in 1640–50; un- ¹ + found ¹ + -ed ²

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.

Example Sentences

An organization-wide test in the minors proved those concerns were unfounded.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

Maybe they do blame themselves, and are paralyzed by an unfounded shame.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026

This is completely unfounded both medically and scientifically.

From BBC • Apr. 5, 2026

But instead of quelling the speculation, the video fueled a new wave of unfounded theories.

From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026

In conversations with faculty members I began to worry the issue, only to be told that my unease was unfounded.

From "Hunger of Memory" by Richard Rodriguez

Related Words

• baseless
• deceptive
• fabricated
• false
• gratuitous
• groundless
• illogical
• misleading
• spurious
• unjustified
• unproven
• unsubstantiated
• untrue
• untruthful
• unwarranted