a unjustified

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a unjustified" is not correct in written English. It should be "an unjustified" because "unjustified" begins with a vowel sound. Example: "The decision was based on an unjustified assumption." Alternative expressions include "an unwarranted" and "an unmerited."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Academia

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

That has left a majority of the commission increasingly concerned that Beck is undermining their authority and sending a dangerous message to the LAPD's rank-and-file officers that the consequences for a unjustified shooting are minimal.

Los Angeles Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

As a result, an unjustified foreclosure may well be reversed.

The New York Times

For arguments that appeal to an analogy with the unjustified formation of a belief on an unjustified belief, see McGrath (2013) and Siegel (2013).

SEP

Vistica clearly believes Kerrey to be guilty of a war crime -- an unjustified, cold-blooded massacre.

The New York Times - Books

9 The Court of Appeals concluded that such a prohibition was an unjustified infringement of the First and Fourteenth Amendments.

Cornell University

Any justifications for Iraqi democracy were just a whitewash, just to add a humanitarian glow to an unjustified war.

The New York Times

Surely this is an unjustified dependence on an entitlement program and a bad use of taxpayer dollars.

HuffPost

Yet 59 percent said collection of user data for targeted advertising was an unjustified use of a person's private information.

The New York Times - Tech

The name Mabinogion derives from a scribal error and is an unjustified but convenient term for these anonymous tales.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The name Mabinogion is derived from a scribal error and is an unjustified but convenient term for these anonymous tales.

Britannica

This December financial regulators fined Pfizer a record £84.2 million for an unjustified "Drug price hike to the NHS".

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In formal and legal writing, ensure that adjectives describing lack of reason (like "unjustified") are preceded by the correct article to maintain professional credibility.

Common error

Writers sometimes default to the article "a" by habit without considering the phonetics of the following word. Because "unjustified" starts with a short "u" vowel sound /ʌ/, the article must be "an". Only use "a" if a consonant sound follows, such as in "a justified" or "a useful".

How to use

Learn how to use "a unjustified" with practical examples and tips.

How to use

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a unjustified" functions as an attempt at an adjective phrase where an indefinite article modifies a descriptive adjective. According to Ludwig AI, this construction is almost always a mistake for "an unjustified".

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Science

15%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Formal & Business

3%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The search for "a unjustified" reveals that this specific phrasing is a grammatical error. Standard English rules require the indefinite article "an" before words beginning with a vowel sound. Ludwig AI shows that virtually all high-quality examples from sources like The New York Times and The Guardian use "an unjustified". The single instance of the query in the data is likely a transcription typo from the Los Angeles Times. Writers should always correct this to "an unjustified" or choose a different adjective like "a baseless" to avoid article-vowel clashes.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

an unjustified

Corrects the indefinite article to match the vowel sound of the adjective

an unwarranted

Uses a synonym that also requires the correct indefinite article

an unmerited

Substitutes with a formal synonym meaning not deserved

a baseless

Provides a similar meaning using an adjective starting with a consonant

a groundless

Uses a synonym starting with a consonant, making the article choice easier

an unreasonable

Broader term focusing on lack of logic or fairness

an indefensible

Stronger term suggesting the action cannot be justified at all

an arbitrary

Suggests a lack of reason based on personal whim rather than justice

a biased

Focuses on the unfair influence rather than just the lack of justification

an unproven

Specific to contexts where justification relies on evidence

FAQs

Which is correct, "a unjustified" or "an unjustified"?

The correct form is "an unjustified" because the word "unjustified" begins with a vowel sound.

What can I say instead of "a unjustified"?

You should use the correct grammatical form "an unjustified" or synonyms like "an unwarranted" or "a baseless".

Why is "a unjustified" considered wrong?

In English grammar, the article "a" is used before consonant sounds, while "an" is used before vowel sounds. Since "unjustified" starts with a vowel sound, "an unjustified" is the only correct version.

What is the difference between "an unjustified" and "a baseless"?

While both imply a lack of reason, "an unjustified" focuses on the lack of justice or fairness, whereas "a baseless" specifically refers to a lack of evidence or foundational facts.