adjective
unfair
Not just or treating people unequally without good reason.
The coach gives his own daughter an unfair advantage.
Etymology
Fair developed a sense of proper and equitable treatment. Unfair negates that standard of justice or reasonable equality.
More examples
- It seems unfair to punish everyone for one person's mistake.
- Workers protest the company's unfair hiring practices.
- Making you do all the chores is unfair.
Forms
unfair · unfairer · unfairest
unfairly adverb — In an unjust or unequal way.
unfairness noun — The quality of being unjust or unequal.
Similar words
- unjust
- Emphasizes violations of justice rather than unequal treatment alone.
- biased
- Emphasizes favoritism or prejudice toward a particular side.