Synonyms of unfair

unfair 1 of 2

adjective

ˌən-ˈfer 

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

• foul
• illegal
• nasty
• dirty
• unsportsmanlike
• shameful
• low
• unjust
• dishonorable
• below the belt
• shabby
• unethical
• immoral
• mean
• ignoble
• unscrupulous
• unprincipled
• ungentlemanly
• unrighteous
• rotten
• unchivalrous

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• fair
• legal
• clean
• just
• moral
• ethical
• sportsmanlike
• sportsmanly
• righteous
• scrupulous
• principled
• honorable
• law-abiding
• unimpeachable
• irreproachable

unfairness

2 of 2

noun

1

as in injustice

the state of being unfair or unjust

the transparent unfairness of the referee's decision made her furious

Synonyms & Similar Words

• injustice
• inequity
• unjustness
• foulness
• dirtiness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• justice
• equity
• fairness

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

• injustice
• wrong
• injury
• inequity
• insult
• unjustness
• disservice
• shaft
• raw deal
• indignity
• affront
• outrage
• offense
• slight
• grievance
• slur
• complaint
• beef
• put-down

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• fairness
• justice
• equity
• equitableness
• cricket

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of unfair

Adjective

For years, residents have said that the district’s lighting and landscaping district assessment process is unfair. — Haley Parsley, Sacbee.com, 20 Aug. 2026

The previous coaching staff and front office erred by leaving themselves in a position where they were felt forced to play Jason Marshall in the slot (unfair to him) when Kader Kohou went down with a knee injury. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 20 Aug. 2026

Noun

The organization’s weekly Saturday rallies have also been a venue for families grieving loss through police violence, or for celebrities to speak out about unfairness in the entertainment industry. — Aaron Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 23 June 2026

Still, the rhetorical and ideological excesses of the left generated a sense of unfairness that has become central to the white-identitarian project. — Thomas Chatterton Williams, The Atlantic, 8 June 2026