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undue

undue

43 6.0
More than is reasonable or needed
  • adjective
  • /ʌnˈdu/
translation icon : excesivo
  • I wouldn't want to put you under such undue pressure.
  • undue hardship
  • an undue burden
  • undue influence

But no individual wants to be the one who takes on an undue burden.

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Examples

  • You just want to avoid any undue stimulation.

  • The guidelines place undue weight on the amount of loss involved in the fraud.

    Academic text (2017)
  • Because what that is giving to the group is an undue sense of hope.

  • Another related but separate concept is undue influence.

  • But no individual wants to be the one who takes on an undue burden.

  • Let them shape themselves without undue haste.

  • The former places undue stress on already limited school resources, and the latter sacrifices critical intervention time.

    Academic text (2015)
  • I don't want to attract any undue attention.

  • Voters moved around freely and, in general, voted without undue coercion or influence.

    Academic text (1994)
  • The teacher said that the project should not create any undue stress for the students.

Synonyms

excessive
vsundue
224 3.6

More than is needed or reasonable

also covers cases lacking a good reason or permission
unreasonable
vsundue
125 3.0

Not fair or too much for the situation

focuses more on excess or lack of justification rather than fairness
47 5.9

Too large or small compared with what is fair

means excess more generally without requiring a direct comparison
unwarranted
vsundue
31 7.0

Not having a good reason or official permission

also covers mere excess in amount or degree
exorbitant
vsundue
25 7.9

A price or cost that is much higher than it should be

is broader, also applying to excessive acts or unjustified cases
inordinate
vsundue
  • Formal
19 7.7

Much more than is normal or reasonable

also includes being unsupported by good reason or need
unjustified
vsundue
19 4.8

Not having a good reason for something

can also mean excessive rather than lacking good reason
disproportional
vsundue
1 6.7

Being too large or too small compared with something else

refers more generally to excess without needing specific comparison

Antonyms

due
469 1.3

Owed and needing to be paid

415 3.3

Not very large or intense

302 2.2

A moderate amount or size that is not extreme

How Excessive

extreme
877 3.6
undue
43 6.0
moderate
415 3.3
small
1.0
negligible
31 5.6

Surface Forms

undue positive

Morphology

undue = due (transparent) = un + due

A regular negative prefix 'un-' attaches to the adjective 'due' to produce the sense 'not appropriate' or 'unwarranted', which is directly inferable.

Etymology

The word undue comes from the parts un- 'not' and due 'owed' or 'proper', the same due you see in due date. So something undue is 'not proper' or more than is reasonable, which is why we call extra pressure or unfair demands 'undue'.