as in foul
not being in accordance with the rules or standards of what is fair in sport
a team that is notorious throughout the league for its record of unfair play
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 unfair
Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Apr. 2025
As the pair battled for the lead, Verstappen cut across a chicane which the race stewards deemed had given him an unfair advantage.
—Ben Church, CNN Money, 21 Apr. 2025
This lack of reciprocity is unfair and threatens America's economic and national security.
—Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Apr. 2025
The report was not shared with the defense, which Geragos argued was unfair.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 18 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unfair
Adjective
Between both chambers, recommendations included more regulatory oversight and transparency, incentives for insurers that serve high risk or underserved areas, organizational changes within the Texas Department of Insurance and guardrails to prevent unfair pricing practices.
—Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Apr. 2025
As the pair battled for the lead, Verstappen cut across a chicane which the race stewards deemed had given him an unfair advantage.
—Ben Church, CNN Money, 21 Apr. 2025
This lack of reciprocity is unfair and threatens America's economic and national security.
—Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Apr. 2025
The report was not shared with the defense, which Geragos argued was unfair.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 18 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unfair
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unfair
Adjective
-
Millions of Americans have experienced foul car odors from dirty air filters.—
Charles Singh,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2025
-
However, the way this is happening has the vibe of last year’s midseason adjustment, when the NBA decided to enforce foul rules differently and turned the game more physical with time still to go in the regular season.—
The Athletic NBA Staff,
New York Times,
30 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Then, a sudden twist propels the narrative into a surreal exploration of time, as Lazzaro awakens years later, unchanged, and ventures into a modern world where the injustices of the past persist in new forms.—
Travis Bean,
Forbes.com,
25 Apr. 2025
-
Here, the senator was passively alluding to environmental injustices, which were commonplace in the 1970s and long before then.—
Jerel Ezell,
Time,
22 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Buyers who make the correct prediction receive a dollar per contract purchased, while those who get it wrong receive nothing in return. To be clear, Kalshi is neither a party to these contracts nor sets contractual prices.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
21 Apr. 2025
-
Others appeared to be armed civilians seeking revenge for wrongs committed during the civil war, residents said.—
Christina Goldbaum,
New York Times,
20 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Official fireworks shows took place over the city, and illegal pyrotechnics lit up the sky everywhere in between.—
Lisa Beebe,
Los Angeles Magazine,
5 July 2017
-
Louisville police say anything that goes into the air or explodes is illegal for average citizens.—
James Bruggers,
The Courier-Journal,
5 July 2017
Adjective
-
Mingyang took the center of the Octagon from the beginning, landed hard leg kicks, and opened a nasty gash on Smith’s forehead with a step-in elbow.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
27 Apr. 2025
-
With a triple-digit heater and a nasty slider, he’s always been a tantalizing talent.—
Sahadev Sharma,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unfair.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unfair. Accessed 4 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share