unfair

1 of 2

adjective

un·​fair ˌən-ˈfer 

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

unfairness

2 of 2

noun

un·​fairness

"+

: the quality or state of being unfair:

a

: injustice

recognized the unfairness of the decision

b

: improper alignment or fit

noticed the unfairness of the rivet holes

Synonyms of unfair

Adjective

• foul
• illegal
• nasty

Examples of unfair in a Sentence

Adjective

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

Adjective

The agency has said deceptive or unfair data practices can violate existing consumer protection laws. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 24 Aug. 2026

But rhetoric turned sour by the weekend, with each side blaming the other for failing to reach an agreement and for unfair trade practices. — Jenni Reid, CNBC, 24 Aug. 2026

Several Florida strawberry producers filed a petition in late 2025 saying Mexico's government and strawberry industry engaged in unfair trading practices. — Steven Yablonski, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026

Copyright, trade secrets, malpractice—none of it was written for this, and stretching it will only lead to unfair results. — Hamid Kohan, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1699, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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