injustice

noun

in·​jus·​tice (ˌ)in-ˈjə-stəs 

1

: absence of justice : violation of right or of the rights of another : unfairness

2

: an unjust act : wrong

Synonyms of injustice

• inequity
• unfairness

Choose the Right Synonym for injustice

injustice, injury, wrong, grievance mean an act that inflicts undeserved hurt.

injustice applies to any act that involves unfairness to another or violation of one's rights.

the injustices suffered by the lower classes

injury applies in law specifically to an injustice for which one may sue to recover compensation.

libel constitutes a legal injury

wrong applies also in law to any act punishable according to the criminal code; it may apply more generally to any flagrant injustice.

determined to right society's wrongs

grievance applies to a circumstance or condition that constitutes an injustice to the sufferer and gives just ground for complaint.

a list of employee grievances

Examples of injustice in a Sentence

The organization is devoted to fighting economic injustice.

The law is part of an effort to correct an old injustice.

Recent Examples on the Web

To Kill a Mockingbird While Scout Finch and her father, Atticus, have become beloved characters of American literature, this novel’s true power lies in its heartbreaking account of race and injustice in the American South. — Caroline Rogers, Southern Living, 22 Aug. 2026

Cofnas penned an exposé last month that documented widespread plagiarism and shoddy scholarship in Arday’s work, a black professor hired by Cambridge University with much fanfare in 2023 to conduct research on race and social injustice. — Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 21 Aug. 2026

For me, as a child grappling with loss, my imagination became my escape from a world that was riddled with confusion and injustice. — Literary Hub, 21 Aug. 2026

Participants often interpret external events through narratives of threat, injustice and persecution. — Art Jipson, The Conversation, 20 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin injustitia, from injustus unjust, from in- + justus just

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing injustice

• do an injustice to (someone or something)
• do (someone or something) an injustice

Rhymes for injustice

• justice

Kids Definition

injustice

noun

in·​jus·​tice (ˈ)in-ˈjəs-təs 

1

: violation of the rights of another : unfairness

2

: an unjust act

Legal Definition

injustice

noun

in·​jus·​tice

1

: absence of justice : violation of what is considered right and just or of the rights of another

2

: an unjust act