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Glite Dictionary
social injustice

social injustice

6 4.6
Unfair treatment of some people because of who they are
  • noun
  • /ˈsoʊʃəl ɪnˈdʒʌstɪs/
translation icon : injusticia social
  • Males were more likely to express that social injustices persist today.
  • social injustice and inequality
  • social injustice and corruption
  • economic and social injustice

You've got protests for social injustice, which I'm a fan of.

Examples

  • Some studies indicate that teachers are uncomfortable and ill-prepared to deal with social injustices (e.g., Harmon, 2002).

    Academic text (2004)

  • The NASW Code of Ethics urges "social workers to challenge social injustice" (NASW, 2000).

    Academic text (2009)

  • A core value of the social work profession is challenging social injustice.

    Academic text (2012)

  • And we should resist the many social injustices that are too often promoted by school music.

    Academic text (2014)

  • Students came to protest the war, racism, and social injustice, among other things.

    Blog text (32)

  • Do female Chinese international students not experience social injustice in second-language higher education?

    Academic text (2006)

  • Thoreau, meanwhile, became involved with the issues of his day, speaking out against social injustice and slavery.

    Academic text (1997)

  • Their basic objectives were to fight against social injustice and to alleviate the sufferings of the poor.

    Academic text (2001)

  • Social justice consists of human acts to resist social injustice by repairing such distortions of human community.

    Blog text (33)

  • Many activists are dedicated to raising awareness about social injustice in their communities.

Synonyms

injustice
vssocial injustice
197 3.9

An unfair action or situation that treats people badly

is about unfair treatment within society caused by discrimination
inequality
vssocial injustice
183 4.2

A situation where some people have fewer rights or chances than others

is about unfair treatment that often creates those differences
inequity
vssocial injustice
25 7.4

Unfair treatment that gives some people fewer chances or help

focuses on unfairness affecting groups across society
unfairness
vssocial injustice
21 2.1

A situation when someone treats people in a way that is not equal or right

stresses unfair treatment rooted in prejudice within society
unjustness
vssocial injustice
6.0

A situation where people are treated unfairly

emphasizes unfair actions in social contexts from bias

Antonyms

equality
293 2.2

People have the same rights, position, and opportunities

social justice
87 3.4

Fair sharing of money, rights, and chances in a society

How Unjust

oppression
120 5.5
inequality
183 4.2
social injustice
6 4.6
discrimination
  • Offensive
535 3.5

Surface Forms

social injustice singular
social injustices plural

Morphology

social + injustice

The meaning of 'social injustice' is directly built from 'social' (relating to society) + 'injustice' (unfairness), so a learner who knows both words can readily infer it refers to unfair treatment or inequality within society. This is a straightforward compositional combination found across many languages and fits B1 learners' productive understanding of adjective + noun phrases.

Etymology

Social injustice combines social, which means about a society, and injustice, which means 'not fair'. Imagine a balance scale where some people are pushed down and others lifted up. That picture shows unfair treatment by society, so social injustice means 'unfair treatment in society'.