unfairness

Definition of unfairnessnext
1
as in injustice
the state of being unfair or unjust the transparent unfairness of the referee's decision made her furious

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2
as in wrong
unfair or inadequate treatment of someone or something or an instance of this it would be no unfairness to the article's second author to characterize his contributions as minimal

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of unfairness But — no different from those of any color frustrated by economic inequality — white people who see the unfairness in our current systems, from schools to retirement, are fed up and angry and rightfully want change. Los Angeles Times, 23 Jan. 2026 Like the one eventually chosen by Katie Pavlich, who at age 6 wrote a letter to then-President Bill Clinton about the unfairness of a federal income tax hike. Andy Meek, Forbes.com, 18 Jan. 2026 The ‘zone of unfairness’ in a split economy Spring’s internal efforts are taking place against the backdrop of disruptions to trade and uncertainty about US consumer spending. Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 16 Jan. 2026 The article sought to call attention to the unfairness of a discriminatory policy that targeted service members but was not equally applied to civilian employees in positions of power. Michael Collins, USA Today, 18 Nov. 2025 The post quickly drew attention and sympathy from readers who saw the unfairness in the situation. Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 9 Nov. 2025 Jon Pike, a philosophy professor at The Open University in England, argued that an open category should be created for transgender athletes to avoid any potential unfairness from biological males competing against girls and women. Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2025 Duffy and the union’s president have acknowledged the unfairness of their situation, which only adds more stress to their already stressful jobs. Josh Funk, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2025 The reactionary league is constantly futzing after other versions of the sport implement fun rules, or promising to address unfairness when sensational NFL playoff battles have ended without a quarterback deity such as Peyton Manning or Josh Allen touching the ball. The Athletic Nfl Staff, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unfairness
Noun
  • Others interviewees include Oscar-winning filmmaker Taylor Hackford, actor Lou Diamond Phillips and tireless labor leader Dolores Huerta, an icon in her own right — all sharing their thoughts on Valdez’s offbeat artistic propositions that confronted injustice and the white perception of Chicanos.
    Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 23 Jan. 2026
  • Good trouble meant mobilizing the nation against racial injustice by making sure almost everyone saw its horrors.
    Robert B. Reich, Hartford Courant, 21 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Now, the good news is that a substantial majority of American citizens object to this wrong and oppose it, and that majority seems to be growing.
    David Frum, The Atlantic, 28 Jan. 2026
  • Some end in voluntary agreements from schools, with plans to rectify past wrongs and prevent future ones.
    Collin Binkley, Los Angeles Times, 27 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Unfairness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unfairness. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.

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