You should have refused such an unfair proposal.
Source: tatoeba (2124)
Unfair
/ʌnˈfɛə(ɹ)/
Synonyms for "unfair" (47 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (10)
Strong matches (14)
Verb(2 words)
Adjective(5 words)
Noun(1 words)
Related words (23)
Adjective(16 words)
prejudicedprejudicialprejudicial thinkingshabbiersocial inequalityuncharitableunconscionableundemocratic procedureundueunequalunequal effortunequal forceunequal forcesunjustifiedunsportingunsportsmanlike
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: unjust, apply unbalanced force, arbitrary fines, bias influenced thinking, biased.
- Sentence evidence is available for unfair, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, derived_reverse.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "unfair".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "unfair"
Keep "unfair" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "unfair" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "unfair", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "unfair" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
4 entriesMore specific
3 entriesCollocations
6 entriesunfair advantageunfair competitionunfair dismissalunfair labor practicesunfair meansunfair treatment
Inflections
2 entriesmore unfairmost unfair
Derivations
2 entriesAntonyms
1 entriessimilar
9 entriesTranslations
48 translations across 37 languages.
Armenian
1 entries- անարդար adj (not fair)
Belarusian
1 entries- несправядлі́вы adj (not fair)
Bulgarian
1 entries- несправедли́в adj (not fair)
Catalan
1 entries- injust adj (not fair)
Chinese Mandarin
1 entries- 不公平 adj (not fair)
Czech
1 entries- nespravedlivý adj (not fair)
Danish
2 entries- ufin adj (not fair)
- uretfærdig adj (not fair)
Esperanto
1 entries- maljusta adj (not fair)
Finnish
1 entries- epäreilu adj (not fair)
French
2 entries- déloyal adj (not fair)
- injuste adj (not fair)
German
2 entries- unfair adj (not fair)
- ungerecht adj (not fair)
Hungarian
2 entries- igazságtalan adj (not fair)
- méltánytalan adj (not fair)
Icelandic
1 entries- ósanngjarn adj (not fair)
Italian
3 entries- ingiusto adj (not fair)
- scorretto adj (not fair)
- sleale adj (not fair)
Japanese
2 entries- ずるい adj (not fair)
- 不公平 adj (not fair)
Khmer
1 entries- មិនយុត្តិធម៌ adj (not fair)
Korean
1 entries- 불공평하다 adj (not fair)
Latin
1 entries- inīquus adj (not fair)
Luxembourgish
1 entries- onfair adj (not fair)
Macedonian
1 entries- нечесен adj (not fair)
Māori
1 entries- makihuhunu adj (not fair)
Northern Kurdish
1 entries- neheq adj (not fair)
Norwegian Bokmål
1 entries- urettferdig adj (not fair)
Norwegian Nynorsk
1 entries- urettferdig adj (not fair)
Old English
1 entries- unrihtwīs adj (not fair)
Ottoman Turkish
1 entries- عدالتسز adj (not fair)
Polish
2 entries- niesprawiedliwy adj (not fair)
- nieuczciwy adj (not fair)
Portuguese
1 entries- injusto adj (not fair)
Russian
1 entries- несправедли́вый adj (not fair)
Serbo-Croatian
2 entries- nepravičan adj (not fair)
- неправичан adj (not fair)
Slovak
1 entries- nespravodlivý adj (not fair)
Spanish
3 entries- inicuo adj (not fair)
- injusto adj (not fair)
- que no vale adj (not fair)
Swedish
1 entries- orättvis adj (not fair)
Turkish
1 entries- adaletsiz adj (not fair)
Ukrainian
1 entries- несправедли́вий adj (not fair)
Vietnamese
1 entries- bất công adj (not fair)
Woiwurrung
1 entries- ngaboon-noon-koorreen adj (not fair)
Sample sentences
15 total sentences available.
Unfair tariffs are imposed on foreign products.
Source: tatoeba (22189)
It would be unfair if we treated him so badly.
Source: tatoeba (30793)
Unfair advantage was taken of Bill's weakness.
Source: tatoeba (34471)
Showing 4 of 15 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "unfair"?
Closest matches include unjust, apply unbalanced force, arbitrary fines, bias influenced thinking, biased.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "unfair"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.