1
a
: marked by injustice, partiality, or deception : unjust
an unfair trial
taking unfair advantage
You're being a little unfair to single them out.
b
: not representative
cited an unfair example
c
: disproportionate
got an unfair share
2
: not equitable in business dealings
unfair competition
unfair labor practices
unfairness
noun
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
Data show that Black, Hispanic, American Indian, Alaska Native and Asian adults report higher levels of unfair treatment when seeking health care.
—
Lisa Vernon-Sparks, Charlotte Observer, 10 Nov. 2025
As a result, the tippee has an unfair advantage as measured against the other participants in the capital markets, who do not have access to this material nonpublic information.
—Samidh Guha, ABC News, 9 Nov. 2025
In the meantime, the day-to-day work is on us—looking at our money honestly, making strategic moves, and refusing to let an unfair system keep us from building something better for ourselves and the next generation.
—Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 7 Nov. 2025
Kenny Mallick, a plumbing and heating contractor based in Gaithersburg, Md, says that's created a broken labor system that hurts the economy and is unfair to hardworking migrants.
—Scott Neuman, NPR, 6 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unfair
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Lisa Vernon-Sparks, Charlotte Observer, 10 Nov. 2025
As a result, the tippee has an unfair advantage as measured against the other participants in the capital markets, who do not have access to this material nonpublic information.
—Samidh Guha, ABC News, 9 Nov. 2025
In the meantime, the day-to-day work is on us—looking at our money honestly, making strategic moves, and refusing to let an unfair system keep us from building something better for ourselves and the next generation.
—Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 7 Nov. 2025
Kenny Mallick, a plumbing and heating contractor based in Gaithersburg, Md, says that's created a broken labor system that hurts the economy and is unfair to hardworking migrants.
—Scott Neuman, NPR, 6 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unfair
Cite this Entry
“Unfair.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unfair. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
unfair
adjective
un·fair
ˌən-ˈfa(ə)r 
ˈən-,
-ˈfe(ə)r
2
: not fair in doing business
unfair to workers
unfairly
adverb
unfairness
noun
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share