unfair

unfair
un‧fair S3 /ˌʌnˈfeə◂ $ -ˈfer◂/ adjectivenot right or fair, especially because not everyone has an equal opportunity
   SYN  unjust:
    an unfair advantage
    laws aimed at preventing unfair competition
    Many employers have recognized that age discrimination is unfair.
    She won £20,000 for unfair dismissal (=being illegally made to leave your job).
—unfairly adverb:
    Mrs Taylor believes her son has been unfairly treated.
    The tribunal decided that Mr Matthews had been unfairly dismissed.
—unfairness noun [uncountable]
     

COLLOCATIONS

■ adverbs
   ▪ very/most unfair We live in a very unfair world.
   ▪ totally unfair It’s totally unfair to blame one player when the team doesn’t play well.
   ▪ extremely/grossly unfair The system was extremely unfair.
   ▪ a little/slightly unfair (also a bit unfair British English spoken) You’re being slightly unfair on him.
   ▪ blatantly/manifestly/demonstrably unfair (=clearly unfair) The newspaper called the judge’s ruling ‘blatantly unfair.’
     

THESAURUS

   ▪ unfair/not fair not right or fair, especially because not everyone has an equal opportunity: The present welfare system is grossly unfair. | It’s not fair that people are paying different prices for the same tickets.
   ▪ unjust not fair or right according to the principles of a particular society: He believed it was an illegal and unjust war. | unjust laws
   ▪ unequal unfair because people are treated in different ways or because some people have more power than others: We live in a deeply unequal society. | the unequal distribution of global resources
   ▪ inequitable formal unfair because people are treated in different ways, or because some people have more power than others: inequitable tax laws | The system is inequitable, because it makes it possible for rich people to buy a place at university.
   ▪ biased unfairly against or in favour of a particular group: biased reporting | There were claims that prison bosses were racially biased. | The policy was biased against women. | The trade laws are biased in favour of rich countries.
■ treating people unfairly because of their race, sex, age etc
   ▪ prejudiced treating someone unfairly and having an unreasonable dislike of them because of their race, sex etc, or because they are old, disabled etc: The media had very prejudiced attitudes towards disabled people. | I don’t want to sound prejudiced, but I do think women are better at this type of job.
   ▪ racist treating someone unfairly because of their race: racist remarks | Children pick up racist attitudes from their parents.
   ▪ sexist treating someone unfairly because of their sex: He had made sexist comments to several women in the office. | The show was about two female inspectors who had trouble with their sexist bosses.
   ▪ ageist treating someone unfairly because of their age – used especially when old people are unfairly treated: Ageist attitudes result in older people being discriminated against in the workplace.
   ▪ homophobic treating someone unfairly because they are homosexual: Many of his songs are homophobic.