unfairness

unfairness — noun

1. A situation in which people are not treated equally or justly, often because the

1.名詞B1
釋義

A situation in which people are not treated equally or justly, often because the rules, systems, or individuals involved give one group an advantage over another.

例句

Kwame could not ignore the unfairness of a system that punished poor students more than rich ones.

unfairness + of + noun phrase (system that…)

An investigation was launched after workers at the factory described the unfairness in how shifts were assigned.

unfairness + in + how-clause

同義詞
  • injustice

    More formal and broader in scope; injustice often refers to a violation of a legal or moral right, while unfairness focuses on unequal treatment.

  • inequality

    More specific to measurable differences in treatment, resources, or opportunity; unfairness includes the emotional judgment that such differences are wrong.

  • bias

    Focuses on the prejudiced attitude or inclination that causes unfairness, rather than the result itself.

反義詞
  • fairness

    The direct opposite — equal and just treatment of all people.

  • justice

    Emphasises adherence to what is morally right or lawful.

文法句型

unfairness + of + noun phrase

unfairness + in + noun phrase

sense of unfairness

用法筆記

This sense is uncountable and describes a general quality or state. Used with 'sense of unfairness' to refer to a feeling, or with 'the unfairness of/in [something]' to point to a specific situation.

常見錯誤

❌There is many unfairnesses in our school.
✅There is a lot of unfairness in our school.
💡This sense of unfairness is uncountable and does not take a plural form.

2. A specific action, decision, or event that treats someone badly or gives them le

2.名詞B2
釋義

A specific action, decision, or event that treats someone badly or gives them less than they deserve, going against what is morally right.

例句

The report listed several unfairnesses in how the local housing office allocated apartments to newcomers.

countable plural: unfairnesses

Christopher saw the denial of his promotion as a clear unfairness that he planned to challenge through official channels.

an unfairness (countable singular)

同義詞
  • injustice

    Similar in meaning but slightly broader; an injustice can be a long-term condition, whereas an unfairness (sense 2) is a discrete event or decision.

  • wrong

    More general and less formal; a wrong can be any morally bad action, not necessarily one tied to unequal treatment.

  • grievance

    Focuses on the complaint side — a grievance is a formal complaint about an unfairness, rather than the unfairness itself.

反義詞
  • fair deal

    An outcome or arrangement that is just and equitable.

文法句型

an unfairness

unfairnesses

unfairness + against/to + noun

用法筆記

Unlike sense 1, this sense is countable and refers to a specific instance. It appears more often in formal writing (legal documents, reports, journalism) than in everyday conversation. The plural 'unfairnesses' is relatively rare but grammatically acceptable in formal contexts.

常見錯誤

❌Being passed over for the job was an unfairness which I cannot accept.
✅Being passed over for the job was an unfairness that I cannot accept.
💡Use 'that' (not 'which') for restrictive clauses defining the specific unfairness.