unreasonableness
unreasonableness — adjective
- unreasonablenesspositive
- more unreasonablenesscomparative
- most unreasonablenesssuperlative
1. describes a person who refuses to listen to good arguments or act in a sensible
describes a person who refuses to listen to good arguments or act in a sensible way, often because they are stubborn, angry, or tired
Mathieu refused to discuss the holiday budget calmly with his wife and became completely unreasonable.
pattern: become + unreasonable (change of state)
Trang tried to negotiate with Kian, but he was being so unreasonable that no agreement was possible.
pattern: being + unreasonable (temporary behaviour)
It was unreasonable of the landlord to expect tenants to pay for repairs to the roof.
Sophia is unreasonable about small things like dirty dishes in the sink after a long hospital shift.
- stubborn
focuses on refusal to change one's mind; less about logic than about will
- obstinate
more formal and stronger than 'stubborn'; suggests fixed refusal
- irrational
broader; can describe ideas as well as people
- reasonable
willing to listen to good arguments and act sensibly
- sensible
practical and wise in decision-making
文法句型
be + unreasonable (of person)
it is unreasonable of + person + to-infinitive
用法筆記
This sense describes a person's behaviour or attitude, not an idea or situation. Frequently used in the progressive form ('being unreasonable') to talk about how someone is acting at a particular moment.
常見錯誤
2. describes an idea, belief, suggestion, or argument that is so far from logic or
describes an idea, belief, suggestion, or argument that is so far from logic or common sense that it cannot be taken seriously
The suggestion that humans can live on Mars within five years is completely unreasonable.
pattern: it is unreasonable to + infinitive
Felipe found it unreasonable to believe one person could finish the whole project in three days.
pattern: find it + unreasonable + to-infinitive
Caleb dismissed the rumour that the supermarket would close in June as an unreasonable claim with no evidence.
It is unreasonable to assume that every student in a large adult English class learns at the same speed.
- absurd
stronger; suggests something is not just illogical but also ridiculous or laughable
- illogical
focuses on faulty reasoning rather than lack of reasonableness
- preposterous
very formal and strong; suggests something is shockingly absurd
文法句型
it is unreasonable to + infinitive
unreasonable + noun (belief, idea, suggestion)
用法筆記
Unlike sense 1, this sense applies to ideas or statements, not to people. The focus is on the lack of logical foundation, not on a person's attitude.
常見錯誤
3. describes an amount, price, demand, or level of something that is far too high o
describes an amount, price, demand, or level of something that is far too high or too extreme, beyond what most people would accept as fair
The landlord demanded an unreasonable deposit of three months' rent before letting the apartment.
collocation: unreasonable deposit
Samir thought the punishment was unreasonable for accidentally breaking a window.
Tariro complained to the hotel manager about the unreasonable noise from the room upstairs at midnight.
The labour court ruled that the warehouse company's demands for fifteen hours of overtime per week were unreasonable.
- excessive
more neutral; simply means too much without the implication of unfairness
- outrageous
stronger and more emotional; suggests shock and anger
- exorbitant
used mainly for prices and fees; formal register
- reasonable
fair and within acceptable limits
- moderate
kept within sensible limits; not extreme
文法句型
unreasonable + noun (price, demand, amount, noise)
be + unreasonable (of quantity or degree)
用法筆記
Common in complaints, legal contexts, and consumer disputes. Often used with nouns for costs, penalties, or physical levels of disturbance.
常見錯誤
4. describes an action or decision that lacks a valid reason or factual basis to su
describes an action or decision that lacks a valid reason or factual basis to support it
The judge ruled that the police officer's search of the car was unreasonable without a warrant.
domain: legal; collocation: unreasonable search
Adina's fear of flying was not unreasonable given that her previous flight had encountered severe turbulence.
pattern: not unreasonable given + noun phrase
The employee's complaint about unsafe working conditions was rejected as unreasonable by the management.
Stefan argued that it was unreasonable to cancel the contract without reviewing the evidence first.
- unjustified
directly states there is no good reason; more factual than 'unreasonable'
- groundless
emphasises that there is no basis in fact; common with 'fear' and 'suspicion'
- baseless
similar to 'groundless'; often used for accusations or claims
文法句型
unreasonable + noun (fear, suspicion, search, complaint)
be + unreasonable (of actions or decisions)
用法筆記
Often appears in legal, formal, or procedural contexts. The double-negative construction 'not unreasonable' is common when conceding that a belief or action has some justification despite appearing doubtful.
常見錯誤
unreasonableness — noun
1. the quality of being unreasonable, shown in behaviour, demands, or ideas that la
the quality of being unreasonable, shown in behaviour, demands, or ideas that lack good sense or fairness
The unreasonableness of the proposal to cut the marketing team by half made approval impossible.
pattern: the unreasonableness of + noun phrase
Aaron could not overlook the unreasonableness of his colleague's demands during the negotiation.
pattern: possessive + unreasonableness
The board discussed the unreasonableness of the new safety regulations at great length.
His unreasonableness during the contract talks cost the company a valuable business partner.
- irrationality
focuses on lack of logic rather than unfairness or excess
- absurdity
stronger; suggests something is laughably illogical
- excessiveness
narrower; only covers the 'too much' aspect
- reasonableness
the quality of being fair, sensible, and logical
文法句型
the unreasonableness of + noun phrase
possessive + unreasonableness
用法筆記
Abstract noun that is most common in formal writing, legal documents, and critical discussions. It is less common in casual conversation, where speakers tend to use phrases like 'being unreasonable' instead.