unjustly

Unjustly is an adverb that denotes performing an action in an unjust or unfair manner. It is formed from the adjective unjust by adding the suffix -ly. The root unjust derives from the Old French injust, itself from Latin iniustus, meaning not just or legally right.

Usage: The word is used when judging conduct, decisions, or outcomes as lacking fairness or legality. It emphasizes moral or legal wrong rather than merely a violation of norms. The term is often paired with nouns like treatment, punishment, accusation, or taxation. It is related to but not always interchangeable with unfairly; unjustly stresses a violation of justice or right, while unfairly can describe unfair treatment even in non-legal contexts.

Examples: unjustly accused, unjustly dismissed, unjustly imprisoned, unjustly taxed. In legal discourse, statements such as "unjustly deprived of rights" or "unjustly sanctioned" are used to argue for remediation or remedy, including appeals, compensation, or reversal of decisions.

Related terms include injustice and unfairness, while related legal concepts include due process and remedy for wrongful actions. The use of unjustly can signal a claim that a result or action violates established standards of justice, fairness, or law, and is often part of broader discussions about rights, accountability, and redress.