Meaning & use

unwarranted

adjective·Academic

Not justified, deserved, or authorized by the circumstances.

See it in a sentence

The critic's harsh comments felt unwarranted given how well the young performer had done.

Officials called the search unwarranted because no evidence supported it.

A note on using this word

Unwarranted is often used to describe criticism, force, or suspicion that goes beyond what the situation actually calls for.

Words with a similar meaning

unjustifieduncalled-for

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

justifiedwarranted

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “unwarranted”, then compare your use with the examples above.

Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.