injustice
C1formal
Definition
Meaning
Lack of fairness or justice; an unjust act.
A violation of another's rights or of what is right; unfair treatment or circumstance.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Can be used both as an abstract uncountable noun ('a sense of injustice') and as a countable noun referring to specific acts ('the injustices of the system').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. Spelling is identical.
Connotations
Equally strong connotations of moral outrage and systemic failure in both varieties.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in UK political and media discourse, but common in both.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
commit an injusticedo sb an injusticeperpetrate an injusticeredress an injusticecorrect an injusticeVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “do someone an injustice”
- “a crying injustice”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Might appear in discussions of workplace discrimination or unfair trade practices.
Academic
Common in law, philosophy, political science, and sociology texts discussing ethics, rights, and social structures.
Everyday
Used when discussing perceived unfair treatment in personal life, news, or society.
Technical
Specific legal meaning of a wrong or violation of rights.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
Examples
By CEFR Level
- It is an injustice to blame her for the mistake.
- The children felt the punishment was an injustice.
- The new law was designed to correct a past injustice.
- She spoke out against the injustice she witnessed.
- The campaign seeks to redress historical injustices against indigenous communities.
- His wrongful conviction was a gross miscarriage of justice and a profound injustice.
- The philosopher argued that tolerating such systemic injustice corrodes the very fabric of a civil society.
- The tribunal was established to investigate alleged injustices perpetrated during the conflict.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
IN-JUST-ICE: Imagine something frozen IN a block of JUST ICE—it's trapped unfairly and cannot move freely.
Conceptual Metaphor
JUSTICE IS A BALANCE/INJUSTICE IS AN IMBALANCE; INJUSTICE IS A WEIGHT/BURDEN; INJUSTICE IS A WOUND.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct calque from 'несправедливость' where 'unfairness' might be more natural.
- Do not confuse with 'lawlessness' ('беззаконие'). 'Injustice' is about fairness, not merely the absence of law.
- In countable usage ('an injustice'), Russian often uses the abstract uncountable form.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'an injustice' as an adjective (e.g., 'an injustice decision' – incorrect).
- Confusing 'injustice' with 'inequality'. Injustice implies a moral wrong; inequality is a measurable difference.
Practice
Quiz
Which phrase is a strong collocation with 'injustice'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is both. As an abstract concept (e.g., 'fighting injustice'), it's uncountable. When referring to specific acts (e.g., 'the injustices of war'), it's countable.
'Injustice' is stronger and more formal, implying a violation of rights or moral principles. 'Unfairness' is broader and can describe less severe, everyday situations lacking fairness.
It means to judge someone unfairly or underestimate them. Example: 'To say he is lazy is to do him an injustice; he works very hard.'
No. 'Injustice' is only a noun. The related adjective is 'unjust' (e.g., an unjust law). There is no direct verb form; one might use 'wrong', 'oppress', or 'treat unfairly'.