Undue
adjective
More than is necessary, proper or wanted.
I apologize if I have caused you undue stress.
Often appears as...
- undue stress
- undue influence
adjective
Not according to the law or fairness.
He used his position to gain undue influence over the decision.
Often appears as...
- undue influence
- undue coercion
Usage tips
Formal, Disapproving
Legal
adjective
More than is necessary, proper or wanted.
I apologize if I have caused you undue stress.
Often appears as...
- undue stress
- undue influence
adjective
Not according to the law or fairness.
He used his position to gain undue influence over the decision.
Often appears as...
- undue influence
- undue coercion
Usage tips
Formal, Disapproving
Legal
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Severity Degree
Used to emphasize the excessive nature of an action or condition.
Calling the police was an undue reaction for such a minor disagreement.
Pro Tip 2/3Avoid Exaggeration
Do not use 'undue' to describe something mildly excessive; it's meant for bigger issues.
Worrying about being a few minutes late shouldn't cause you undue concern.
Pro Tip 3/3Not Always Negative
'Undue' can describe positive situations where the excess is still improper.
His charm earned him undue attention from the judges, despite his mistakes.
Pro Tip 1/3Severity Degree
Used to emphasize the excessive nature of an action or condition.
Calling the police was an undue reaction for such a minor disagreement.
Pro Tip 2/3Avoid Exaggeration
Do not use 'undue' to describe something mildly excessive; it's meant for bigger issues.
Worrying about being a few minutes late shouldn't cause you undue concern.
Pro Tip 3/3Not Always Negative
'Undue' can describe positive situations where the excess is still improper.
His charm earned him undue attention from the judges, despite his mistakes.
Pro Tip 1/3Severity Degree
Used to emphasize the excessive nature of an action or condition.
Calling the police was an undue reaction for such a minor disagreement.
Pro Tip 2/3Avoid Exaggeration
Do not use 'undue' to describe something mildly excessive; it's meant for bigger issues.
Worrying about being a few minutes late shouldn't cause you undue concern.
Pro Tip 3/3Not Always Negative
'Undue' can describe positive situations where the excess is still improper.
His charm earned him undue attention from the judges, despite his mistakes.
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Video examples
A 3-minute guide to the...
If you're accused of a crime, you have the right to a speedy public trial and an impartial jury. You also have the right to a lawyer, and the right to take the stand if you choose. This is important because it will prevent the accused from sitting in prison forever and insists that the prosecution proceed with undue delay.
Video examples
The impact of Simón...
claim to want to return to public to private life but were called instead to shape governments and both were accused of undue ambition and their the similarities end when libras military action lasted more
Video examples
Why we make bad...
The comparison changes how we evaluate him. Now, retailers knew this long before anybody else did, of course, and they use this wisdom to help you -- spare you the undue burden of money.
Video examples
A 3-minute guide to the...
If you're accused of a crime, you have the right to a speedy public trial and an impartial jury. You also have the right to a lawyer, and the right to take the stand if you choose. This is important because it will prevent the accused from sitting in prison forever and insists that the prosecution proceed with undue delay.
Video examples
The impact of Simón...
claim to want to return to public to private life but were called instead to shape governments and both were accused of undue ambition and their the similarities end when libras military action lasted more
Video examples
Why we make bad...
The comparison changes how we evaluate him. Now, retailers knew this long before anybody else did, of course, and they use this wisdom to help you -- spare you the undue burden of money.
Example 1 of 3
Quote examples
Adam Gopnik
American Writer
There are as many attitudes to cooking as there are people cooking, of course, but I do think that cooking guys tend - I am a guilty party here - to take, or get, undue credit for domestic virtue, when in truth cooking is the most painless and, in its ways, ostentatious of the domestic chores.
Quote examples
Fran Lebowitz
American Journalist
My desire to curtail undue freedom of speech extends only to such public areas as restaurants, airports, streets, hotel lobbies, parks, and department stores. Verbal exchanges between consenting adults in private are as of little interest to me as they probably are to them.
Quote examples
Naomi Wolf
American Author
If you look at weak democracies, the oligarchies that have taken undue control of them always seek to tamper with the vote. It is important for oligarchs to have elections to give their guy a veneer of legitimacy - and important for the vote always to turn out 'their way.
Quote examples
Sam Graves
American Politician
In order to help small businesses gain access to the credit and capital they need to run their business successfully, Congress must adopt policies that support functional capital markets without imposing undue restrictions on providers of debt and equity capital.
Quote examples
Abigail Spanberger
American Politician
For those with health conditions like diabetes, cancer, and heart disease, the rising cost of lifesaving medications is straining budgets, fueling undue stress, and forcing them to make difficult decisions.
Quote examples
Jean de la Bruyere
French Philosopher
There is no road too long to the man who advances deliberately and without undue haste; there are no honors too distant to the man who prepares himself for them with patience.
Quote examples
David Kay
American Scientist
And you know, almost in a perverse way, I wish it had been undue influence because we know how to correct that. We get rid of the people who, in fact, were exercising that.
Quote examples
Quintilian
Roman Educator
It is worth while too to warn the teacher that undue severity in correcting faults is liable at times to discourage a boy's mind from effort.
Quote examples
Marianne Williamson
American Author
The undue influence of money on our politics is like a cancer underlying other cancers, the issue underlying all other issues.
Quote examples
Eric Schneiderman
American Politician
Our elected representatives wisely enacted laws to protect our state and local governments from undue outside influence.
Quote examples
Adam Gopnik
American Writer
There are as many attitudes to cooking as there are people cooking, of course, but I do think that cooking guys tend - I am a guilty party here - to take, or get, undue credit for domestic virtue, when in truth cooking is the most painless and, in its ways, ostentatious of the domestic chores.
Quote examples
Fran Lebowitz
American Journalist
My desire to curtail undue freedom of speech extends only to such public areas as restaurants, airports, streets, hotel lobbies, parks, and department stores. Verbal exchanges between consenting adults in private are as of little interest to me as they probably are to them.
Quote examples
Naomi Wolf
American Author
If you look at weak democracies, the oligarchies that have taken undue control of them always seek to tamper with the vote. It is important for oligarchs to have elections to give their guy a veneer of legitimacy - and important for the vote always to turn out 'their way.
Quote examples
Sam Graves
American Politician
In order to help small businesses gain access to the credit and capital they need to run their business successfully, Congress must adopt policies that support functional capital markets without imposing undue restrictions on providers of debt and equity capital.
Quote examples
Abigail Spanberger
American Politician
For those with health conditions like diabetes, cancer, and heart disease, the rising cost of lifesaving medications is straining budgets, fueling undue stress, and forcing them to make difficult decisions.
Quote examples
Jean de la Bruyere
French Philosopher
There is no road too long to the man who advances deliberately and without undue haste; there are no honors too distant to the man who prepares himself for them with patience.
Quote examples
David Kay
American Scientist
And you know, almost in a perverse way, I wish it had been undue influence because we know how to correct that. We get rid of the people who, in fact, were exercising that.
Quote examples
Quintilian
Roman Educator
It is worth while too to warn the teacher that undue severity in correcting faults is liable at times to discourage a boy's mind from effort.
Quote examples
Marianne Williamson
American Author
The undue influence of money on our politics is like a cancer underlying other cancers, the issue underlying all other issues.
Quote examples
Eric Schneiderman
American Politician
Our elected representatives wisely enacted laws to protect our state and local governments from undue outside influence.
Example 1 of 10
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