as in unreasonable
having no basis in reason or fact
the accusation proved to be unfounded
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Recent Examples of unfounded
However, a new report by the BBC has found that such fears are likely exaggerated or unfounded.
—
Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 19 Oct. 2025
Conservative news organizations that made such unfounded claims — including Fox News and NewsMax — paid hundreds of millions of dollars in settlements to Dominion Voting Systems.
—Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Oct. 2025
The idea that girls are starting puberty six years earlier is unfounded and nonsensical—this would mean that a typical girl today would start puberty at around six years old (as the average age in the 1950s was around 12).
—Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025
Still, the Epstein saga might have gradually faded from the national consciousness, even in spite of the widespread, unfounded belief that his 2019 suicide in a jail cell while awaiting trial was in fact a murder carried out to prevent him from implicating associates in his crimes.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 16 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unfounded
Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 19 Oct. 2025
Conservative news organizations that made such unfounded claims — including Fox News and NewsMax — paid hundreds of millions of dollars in settlements to Dominion Voting Systems.
—Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Oct. 2025
The idea that girls are starting puberty six years earlier is unfounded and nonsensical—this would mean that a typical girl today would start puberty at around six years old (as the average age in the 1950s was around 12).
—Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025
Still, the Epstein saga might have gradually faded from the national consciousness, even in spite of the widespread, unfounded belief that his 2019 suicide in a jail cell while awaiting trial was in fact a murder carried out to prevent him from implicating associates in his crimes.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 16 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unfounded
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unfounded
Adjective
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Officers are able to use loitering laws as general warrants to circumvent individuals’ constitutional right to be protected from unreasonable searches and seizures, Wood said.—
Alex Brizee,
Idaho Statesman,
10 Nov. 2025
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The class counsel has argued that objectors are raising either points that were already decided, inappropriate for this forum, or unreasonable to address.—
Daniel Libit,
Sportico.com,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The papers were studying strokes in animals, and researchers not only found duplicate images but also a lack of follow-up research, another red flag pointing to baseless findings.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
7 Nov. 2025
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The Lone Star State is no stranger to conspiracy theories – from baseless claims that cloud seeding caused deadly floods last July to unfounded fears that a routine military training exercise in 2015 was a secret plot to impose martial law in Texas and confiscate firearms.—
Dalia Faheid,
CNN Money,
27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Earlier this week, Sulton said the new criminal case is groundless and accused prosecutors of bringing additional charges because Spencer rejected a plea deal on the first case.—
Vanessa Swales,
jsonline.com,
17 Oct. 2025
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The most extreme version of this debate over Kirk’s views on Israel emerged with shocking velocity after his death, in the form of groundless claims that he’d been killed by the Israelis.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The SARsfilings are required under the Bank Secrecy Act, and regulators warn on the actual bank forms that the reports are confidential and contain unsubstantiated allegations of possible criminal activity.—
Antonio Maria Delgado,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
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There have been anti-China rallies in downtown Seoul in recent months, where protesters chanted racist slurs and made unsubstantiated claims of Chinese inference in South Korean politics.—
Se Eun Gong,
NPR,
2 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unfounded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unfounded. Accessed 17 Nov. 2025.
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