Standard Lemma guide

undue

adj · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ʌnˈdjuː/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • US: /ʌnˈduː/
  • US: /ʌnˈdjuː/
  • rhymes with -uː
  • homophone: undo (yod-dropping)
  • CMU ARPABET: AH0 N D UW1 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Excessive; going beyond that what is natural or sufficient.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • To individuals who despise killings in any form, death penalty is undue punishment.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: immoderate, unrestrained, devilish, excessive, de trop, extravagant, extreme, intemperate, lavish, nimious, obscene, overmuch, overweening, over the top, prodigal, undue, unmeasured, unreasonable, wanton

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Which ought not to be done; illegal; unjustified.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Not owing or payable.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adjective

Meaning 4

not yet payable

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • an undue loan

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: due

5

adjective

Meaning 5

not appropriate or proper (or even legal) in the circumstances

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • undue influence
  • I didn't want to show undue excitement
  • accused of using undue force

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: due

6

adjective satellite

Meaning 6

beyond normal limits

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • excessive charges
  • a book of inordinate length
  • his dress stops just short of undue elegance
  • unreasonable demands

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: excessive, inordinate, unreasonable

Antonyms: none provided

7

adjective satellite

Meaning 7

lacking justification or authorization

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • desire for undue private profit
  • unwarranted limitations of personal freedom

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: unjustified, unwarranted

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From un- + due.

Across languages

Translations

37 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: прекален (prekalen) — Excessive; going beyond that what is natural or sufficient
  • Bulgarian: прекомерен (prekomeren) — Excessive; going beyond that what is natural or sufficient
  • Catalan: indegut — Excessive; going beyond that what is natural or sufficient
  • Catalan: desproporcionat — Excessive; going beyond that what is natural or sufficient
  • Czech: přehnaný — Excessive; going beyond that what is natural or sufficient
  • Czech: přílišný — Excessive; going beyond that what is natural or sufficient
  • Czech: zbytečně velký — Excessive; going beyond that what is natural or sufficient
  • Czech: nadměrný — Excessive; going beyond that what is natural or sufficient
  • Czech: nepřiměřený — Excessive; going beyond that what is natural or sufficient
  • Finnish: yletön — Excessive; going beyond that what is natural or sufficient
  • Georgian: გადაჭარბებული (gadač̣arbebuli) — Excessive; going beyond that what is natural or sufficient
  • Georgian: ზედმეტი (zedmeṭi) — Excessive; going beyond that what is natural or sufficient
  • German: übertrieben — Excessive; going beyond that what is natural or sufficient
  • Hungarian: túlzott — Excessive; going beyond that what is natural or sufficient
  • Serbo-Croatian: prekomerno — Excessive; going beyond that what is natural or sufficient
  • Serbo-Croatian: prekomjerno — Excessive; going beyond that what is natural or sufficient
  • Spanish: desproporcionado — Excessive; going beyond that what is natural or sufficient
  • Ukrainian: надмірний (nadmirnyj) — Excessive; going beyond that what is natural or sufficient
  • Catalan: indegut — That which ought not to be done; illegal; unjustified
  • Czech: neoprávněný — That which ought not to be done; illegal; unjustified
  • Czech: nezákonný — That which ought not to be done; illegal; unjustified
  • Czech: ilegální — That which ought not to be done; illegal; unjustified
  • Czech: nepatřičný — That which ought not to be done; illegal; unjustified
  • Czech: nemístný — That which ought not to be done; illegal; unjustified
  • French: indu — That which ought not to be done; illegal; unjustified
  • Georgian: გაუმართლებელი (gaumartlebeli) — That which ought not to be done; illegal; unjustified
  • Georgian: უკანონო (uḳanono) — That which ought not to be done; illegal; unjustified
  • Georgian: დაუშვებელი (daušvebeli) — That which ought not to be done; illegal; unjustified
  • German: unangemessen — That which ought not to be done; illegal; unjustified
  • Spanish: injustificado — That which ought not to be done; illegal; unjustified
  • Catalan: indegut — Not owing or payable
  • Czech: nesplatný — Not owing or payable
  • Czech: před splatností — Not owing or payable
  • Czech: ne dosud splatný — Not owing or payable
  • French: indu — Not owing or payable
  • Spanish: indebido — Not owing or payable
  • Spanish: no debido — Not owing or payable