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Undue: meaning, definitions and examples

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undue

 

[ ʌnˈduː ]

Adjective
Context #1 | Adjective

excessive

not necessary or appropriate; more than is reasonable or expected

Synonyms

excessive, inordinate, unjustified, unwarranted.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
undue

Used when something is more than necessary or inappropriate for the situation.

  • He received undue praise for the project
  • The delay was undue, causing inconvenience
excessive

Used when describing something that is too much or beyond what is reasonable.

  • The noise level was excessive
  • She spent an excessive amount of money on clothes
unwarranted

Refers to actions or feelings that are not justified or authorized and often has a negative connotation.

  • Her fears were unwarranted
  • The accusations were unwarranted and unfair
inordinate

Refers to an amount that is unusually or disproportionately large.

  • He took an inordinate amount of time to finish the task
  • The company faced inordinate expenses
unjustified

Used when something lacks a good reason or basis and often carries a negative connotation.

  • The criticism was unjustified
  • They provided unjustified reasons for the late submission

Examples of usage

  • She was fired for making undue demands on her colleagues.
  • He faced undue pressure from his boss to work overtime.
Context #2 | Adjective

unfair

not fair, right, or acceptable

Synonyms

biased, discriminatory, unfair, unjust.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
undue

Use this word again to describe something that is unnecessary or excessive, often in a negative sense.

  • She showed undue interest in his personal life.
  • The demand caused undue stress for the employees.
unfair

Use this word to describe situations where treatment is not just, not right, or not deserving.

  • It is unfair to blame him for something he didn't do.
  • She was upset about the unfair distribution of resources.
unjust

Use this word to describe actions or situations that are morally wrong or not fair. It can be used with strong emotional undertones.

  • They protested against the unjust laws that oppressed them.
  • Punishing him without listening to his side of the story is unjust.
discriminatory

Use this word when referring to actions or policies that unfairly treat one person or group differently from others. This word generally has a negative connotation.

  • The manager was fired for his discriminatory hiring practices.
  • Discriminatory laws led to widespread protests.
biased

Use this word to refer to a judgment or opinion that is unfairly influenced by personal feelings or opinions.

  • The journalist was accused of being biased in her reporting.
  • He made a biased decision based on his friendship with the candidate.

Examples of usage

  • The judge ruled that the search was conducted under undue influence.
  • She feels that she's been the victim of undue criticism.

Translations

Translations of the word "undue" in other languages:

🇵🇹 indevido

🇮🇳 अनुचित

🇩🇪 ungerechtfertigt

🇮🇩 tidak wajar

🇺🇦 невиправданий

🇵🇱 nieuzasadniony

🇯🇵 不当な

🇫🇷 indû

🇪🇸 indebido

🇹🇷 haksız

🇰🇷 부당한

🇸🇦 غير مبرر

🇨🇿 neoprávněný

🇸🇰 neoprávnený

🇨🇳 不当的

🇸🇮 neupravičen

🇮🇸 ótilhlýðilegt

🇰🇿 негізсіз

🇬🇪 უადგილო

🇦🇿 haqsız

🇲🇽 indebido

Etymology

The word 'undue' originated from Middle English 'undew', meaning 'inadequate'. Over time, it evolved to its current usage in the English language to describe something that is excessive or unfair. The concept of 'undue influence' has been a key legal term, referring to improper pressure or persuasion that goes beyond what is reasonable.

See also: due, duty, overdue, subdue, unduly.

Word Frequency Rank

At #6,652 in frequency, this word belongs to advanced vocabulary. It's less common than core vocabulary but important for sophisticated expression.