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unreasonably

A1
adverb

Pronunciation

UK

  • /ʌnrˈiːzənəbli/

US

  • /ənˈrizənəbli/

Description

Imagine you accidentally spill a tiny drop of water on the floor, and someone starts screaming as if the whole house is flooded - they are acting unreasonably. To behave unreasonably is to act in a way that has no fair or logical reason behind it. It's like turning the emotional volume up to ten when the situation only calls for a two.

It is more than just being incorrect; it suggests a lack of common sense or fairness. A landlord who unreasonably refuses to make basic repairs is ignoring their responsibilities. Similarly, if a manager unreasonably expects you to finish a month's worth of work in a single afternoon, they are asking for more than makes sense. It describes behavior that does not fit the situation and often goes too far.

Examples

  1. 1

    High cost

    The tickets were unreasonably expensive, so we decided not to go.

  2. 2

    Emotional reaction

    She seemed unreasonably upset about a small delay.

  3. 3

    Housing rules

    The landlord was unreasonably strict about having guests overnight.

  4. 4

    Time pressure

    You can’t expect people to make that decision unreasonably quickly.

  5. 5

    Long wait

    We waited an unreasonably long time for such a simple reply.

Forms and spellings

1 form open this card.

Main spelling

  • unreasonablyadverb