# undue

/ənˈdu/ (US) · /ʌndjˈuː/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/undue
Updated: 2026-05-07

## Definition

more than is necessary, reasonable, or fair. You use it to describe an amount of something that is too much for the situation.

For teachers: exceeding what is appropriate, warranted, or justified. Often used to describe excessive influence, pressure, or delay in legal and formal contexts.

## Examples

- The news caused undue alarm among the public.
- The manager warned that any undue delay in submitting the report would affect the project timeline.
- The court ruled that the contract was signed under undue influence, as one party had used their position of power to pressure the other into an unfair agreement.

## Usage notes

- Typically used attributively before a noun; frequently collocates with 'influence', 'pressure', 'delay', or 'hardship'.

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