unconscionable

adjective

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un·con·scio·na·ble | \ ˌən-ˈkän(t)-sh(ə-)nə-bəl

Definition of unconscionable

1a : shockingly unfair or unjust unconscionable sales practices

b : excessive, unreasonable found an unconscionable number of defects in the car

2 : not guided or controlled by conscience : unscrupulous an unconscionable villain

Other Words from unconscionable Synonyms & Antonyms When Do You Use unconscionable? More Example Sentences Learn More About unconscionable

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Other Words from unconscionable

unconscionability \ ˌən-ˌkän(t)-sh(ə-)nə-ˈbi-lə-tē

\ noun

unconscionableness \ ˌən-ˈkän(t)-sh(ə-)nə-bəl-nəs

\ noun

unconscionably \ ˌən-ˈkän(t)-sh(ə-)nə-blē

\ adverb

When Do You Use unconscionable?

Something that can't be done in good conscience is unconscionable, and such acts can range from betraying a confidence to mass murder. For a five-syllable word, unconscionable is actually quite common. This is partly because it isn't always used very seriously; so, for example, a critic is free to call a fat new book "an unconscionable waste of trees". In law, an unconscionable contract is one that, even though it was signed by both parties, is so ridiculous that a judge will just throw it out.

Examples of unconscionable in a Sentence

They have had to endure unconscionable delays. an unconscionable number of errors for an important government report

Recent Examples on the Web And if those measures keep children from getting injured or worse then not putting them in place is unconscionable. — Washington Post, 18 Sep. 2021 Denying health systems these tools to combat COVID-19 would have been unconscionable—but that’s exactly what’s happening in the fight against gun violence. — Michael Dowling, Scientific American, 6 Aug. 2021 The failure of tech companies to stop it is unconscionable. — Kara Alaimo, CNN, 20 July 2021 The attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 was unconscionable. — Patricia Thomson, Star Tribune, 29 June 2021 To do that at any time would be bad, but to do it during a pandemic, where everyone especially lower income countries is desperate for revenues to fund their recovery is unconscionable. — Vivienne Walt, Fortune, 7 June 2021 President Joe Biden, then the front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination, called the Trump health officials’ action unconscionable and despicable. — Amy Goldstein, Anchorage Daily News, 10 May 2021 Absolutely not, but the thought of Janine, Alma, and co. toiling away at a breeding colony for another season because of June's actions is unconscionable. — Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 28 Apr. 2021 Sometimes, the social contract is made explicit, such as when a delinquent like Jolovan Wham mounts an unconscionable challenge to it. — The Economist, 17 Apr. 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'unconscionable.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries Near unconscionable

unconscientious

unconscionable

unconscious

Statistics for unconscionable

Last Updated

1 Oct 2021

Cite this Entry

“Unconscionable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unconscionable. Accessed 17 Oct. 2021.

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More Definitions for unconscionable

unconscionable

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of unconscionable

: extremely bad, unfair, or wrong

: going far beyond what is usual or proper

See the full definition for unconscionable in the English Language Learners Dictionary

unconscionable

adjective

un·con·scio·na·ble | \ ˌən-ˈkän-chə-nə-bəl

Legal Definition of unconscionable

: unreasonably unfair to one party, marked by oppression, or otherwise unacceptably offensive to public policy an unconscionable clause finds the contract…to have been unconscionable at the time it was made — Uniform Commercial Code — compare conscionable