unfair

adjective

un·​fair ˌən-ˈfer 

1

: marked by injustice, partiality, or deception : unjust

2

: not equitable in business dealings

unfairness noun

Synonyms

• dirty
• foul
• illegal
• nasty
• unsportsmanlike

Examples of unfair in a Sentence

It's unfair for them to be allowed to leave early if we can't.

It seems unfair to single her out for criticism.

The company has been accused of unfair labor practices.

Recent Examples on the Web

Still, Leavitt said the high tariffs are unfair for Americans, and the United States should charge the same, in kind. —David Goldman, CNN Money, 31 Mar. 2025

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Monday the tariffs would offset unfair treatment the U.S. has faced for decades. —Rebecca Morin, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2025

Other KPIs provided by data provider Aniline and a media-monitoring investigation into unfair workplace practices or workplace harassment reports were factored into companies' final scores. —Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Mar. 2025

If the super app’s user interface is great but a specific lending partner’s rates are unfair or their data security is weak, who bears ultimate accountability? —Zennon Kapron, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1700, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for unfair

• abwehr
• affair
• affaire
• airfare
• altair
• armchair
• aware
• beware
• bugbear
• carfare
• childcare
• compare

Kids Definition

unfair

adjective

un·​fair ˌən-ˈfa(ə)r 

ˈən-,

-ˈfe(ə)r

1

: not fair, honest, or just : unjust, dishonest

an unfair trial

2

: not fair in doing business

unfair to workers

unfairly adverb

unfairness noun