unfounded

adjective

un·​found·​ed ˌən-ˈfau̇n-dəd How to pronounce unfounded (audio)
: lacking a sound basis : groundless, unwarranted
an unfounded accusation

Examples of unfounded in a Sentence

the accusation proved to be unfounded
Recent Examples on the Web The company alleged Fox defamed it by broadcasting unfounded allegations that Dominion had rigged the election against Trump. C Mandler, CBS News, 30 Nov. 2023 However, a new paper has suggested that such fears may be completely unfounded. Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune Europe, 29 Nov. 2023 Both are unfounded, according to decades of statistics and research. Jacob Turcotte, The Christian Science Monitor, 14 Nov. 2023 Both candidates have touted unfounded claims that the 2020 presidential election was stolen. Antonio Olivo, Washington Post, 15 Nov. 2023 However, concerns over China's economic activity are not unfounded even if no one is predicting an economic catastrophe. Gaurav Sharma, Forbes, 13 Nov. 2023 Powering off a device occasionally helps preserve battery life False This one is a myth too, but not a completely unfounded one. WIRED, 27 Oct. 2023 In the waning days of his presidency, some of Trump’s most extreme supporters implored him to name Powell as special counsel to investigate unfounded claims of voter fraud. Ellie Quinlan Houghtaling, The New Republic, 24 Oct. 2023 Trump, from his account on Truth Social, raised the idea of a potential threat by focusing on the unfounded claim that Hamas was coming in to the U.S. through the southern border. David Ingram, NBC News, 12 Oct. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'unfounded.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1648, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unfounded was in 1648

Dictionary Entries Near unfounded

Cite this Entry

“Unfounded.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unfounded. Accessed 8 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

unfounded

adjective
un·​found·​ed ˌən-ˈfau̇n-dəd How to pronounce unfounded (audio)
ˈən-
: lacking a sound base : groundless
unfounded suspicions

More from Merriam-Webster on unfounded

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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