uhn-JUHST
/əˈndʒʌst/
unjust is pronounced uhn-JUHST (/əˈndʒʌst/). Unjust is an adjective meaning not morally right or fair; it describes actions or outcomes that violate standards of fairness or legal equity. It carries a negative evaluation and often appears in moral, legal, or social critique. In usage, it contrasts with just, emphasizing perceived bias, illegality, or inequity. Contexts range from personal grievances to systemic issues.
Unjust is an adjective meaning not morally right or fair; it describes actions or outcomes that violate standards of fairness or legal equity. It carries a negative evaluation and often appears in moral, legal, or social critique. In usage, it contrasts with just, emphasizing perceived bias, illegality, or inequity. Contexts range from personal grievances to systemic issues.
- You may over-articulate the first syllable, producing /ən-ɪnˈdʒʌst/ or similar, which muffles the stress and distorts rhythm. To fix, keep the first syllable as a light schwa and channel energy into the second syllable with a clear /dʒ/ onset. - The /dʒ/ can be too weak or misarticulated as /dj/ or /z/; ensure a crisp voicing transition from /n/ to /dʒ/ and keep the tongue blade high. - Final /st/ sometimes becomes /s/ or /t/ without a clean contact; practice a clean /st/ release with a quick, balanced finish.
"The judge ruled that the punishment was unjust and demanded a retrial."
"Many protesters argued that the policy was unjust and targeted vulnerable communities."
"It would be unjust to ignore the facts of the case."
Phonetically, unjust is /ənˈdʒəst/ in US and AU, and /ənˈdʒʌst/ in UK. Start with an unstressed schwa /ə/, then the stressed syllable /ˈdʒə/ (US) or /ˈdʒʌ/ (UK), followed by a clear /st/ cluster. Ensure the /dʒ/ is a voiced palato-alveolar affricate; keep the /t/ unreleased or lightly released in rapid speech. Tip: soften the second vowel to a quick schwa in fluent speech, but keep the main stress strong and audible.
Common errors include making the second vowel too bright or lax (pronouncing /ə/ as /ɪ/ or /i/), and misplacing the primary stress, saying /ənˈɡɪst/ or /ənˈdʒust/. Correct by focusing on the /ˈdʒ/ cluster, keeping the /dʒ/ as in judge, and ensuring the final /st/ is crisp rather than a silent or stopped consonant. Practice with minimal pairs to lock the vowel quality and stress pattern.
US/AU typically /ənˈdʒəst/ with a closer /ə/ in the second syllable, UK often /ənˈdʒʌst/ with a more open /ʌ/; some Australian speakers tilt toward /ə/ or /ɐ/ depending on region. The primary stress remains on the second syllable. The /t/ is often crisp in careful speech but may be flapped or lightly released in casual contexts. Overall, vowel quality and rhoticity influence perceived vowel height and timbre.
The challenge lies in the /dʒ/ affricate after a reduced syllable and the final /st/ cluster, which can blur in rapid speech. Maintaining the unstressed first syllable /ən/ while preserving the strong nucleus in /ˈdʒəst/ requires precise timing and jaw control. Additionally, subtle vowel shifts (/ə/ vs /ʌ/) across accents can alter perceived clarity. Focus on separating the syllables just enough to preserve intelligibility.
The word hinges on a sharp onset consonant cluster after a weak initial syllable: /ənˈdʒəst/. The unique aspect is the blend of a voiceless /t/ and an affricate /dʒ/ within a short vowel frame, which can pull the mouth into a brief, precise shape. Practicing with minimal pairs that vary only the vowel height in the stressed syllable can help solidify the exact tongue position and lip rounding.
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- US: /ənˈdʒəst/ with a central or mid schwa; keep rhoticity neutral in most dialects. - UK: /ənˈdʒʌst/ with more open /ʌ/; ensure lips are relaxed, not rounded, to avoid a wobbly vowel. - AU: often /ənˈdʒəst/ or /ənˈdʒɒst/ depending on region; the /ɔ/ or /ɒ/ variation is regionally common. Monitor the vowel height in the stressed syllable; the difference between /ə/ and /ʌ/ changes intelligibility subtly.
Unjust originates from Middle English un-, a negative prefix, combined with just, from Latin iustus meaning lawful or right. The root jus, jur-, from Latin ius for law. The word just itself traces to Old French just, from Latin justus, meaning proper, fitting, righteous. The prefix un- negates the root, producing “not just.” The sense evolved in legal and ethical discourse, with medieval and early modern texts applying it to flawed or illegal actions, then broadening to moral judgments. By the 16th–17th centuries, unjust appeared in political and religious critiques, living on in modern law and everyday speech to denote improper, biased, or unlawful treatment. In contemporary usage, unjust is paired with verbal frames like “unjustifiable” or “unjustifiable,” and participates in debates about fairness, rights, and justice. First known uses appear in Middle English texts around the 13th century, aligning with the legal and moral language of the era and continuing into modern usage as Western legal and ethical vocabularies expanded.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "unjust" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "unjust" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "unjust"
-ust sounds
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