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

Yes, deploying them can help U.S. manufacturers compete against the unfair, subsidized trade practices of other countries. —Ethan Karp, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025

Many prominent advocates for excluding transgender girls from sports praised Dhillon’s actions last week as a bold move to protect cisgender girls from unfair competition. —Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2025

And because of hearing that woman speak about her experience instead of shutting down in fear and unfair shame, my mom is alive today. —Dayna Haffenden, People.com, 6 June 2025

That’s unfair, yet West Kensington sidesteps this issue and rewards customers with a delicious, toasty malt base and enough bitterness to cleanse the palate. —Peter Rowe, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 June 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