unfounded

intermediateB2

/ʌnˈfaʊndɪd/ · un-found-ed

Having no foundation in fact; not based on evidence, reason, or truth; baseless.

Meanings

adjectiveformal

Having no foundation in fact; not based on evidence, reason, or truth; baseless.

جس کی کوئی بنیاد نہ ہو؛ جو دلیل، ثبوت یا سچائی پر مبنی نہ ہو؛ بے اصل اور بے ثبوت۔

بے بنیاد

be bunyaad

Formal: بے بنیادColloquial: من گھڑت

Synonyms

baselessgroundlessunsubstantiatedunsupportedfabricatedunjustifiedspeculativespuriousبے اصلبے دلیلبے ثبوتجھوٹامن گھڑتغیر مستند

Antonyms

foundedsubstantiatedsupportedjustifiedprovenverifiedestablishedثابت شدہمستندمدللبنیاد پر مبنیسچتصدیق شدہ

Common Collocations

  • unfounded allegations
  • unfounded claims
  • unfounded rumours
  • unfounded fears
  • unfounded accusations
  • unfounded suspicions
  • completely unfounded
  • totally unfounded
  • utterly unfounded
  • unfounded criticism

Example Sentences

The allegations against him were completely unfounded and were later withdrawn by the authorities.

اس کے خلاف الزامات بالکل بے بنیاد تھے اور بعد میں حکام نے انہیں واپس لے لیا۔

Us ke khilaaf ilzamaat bilkul be bunyaad the aur baad mein hukkam ne unhe wapas le liya.

She dismissed the unfounded rumours circulating about her resignation.

اس نے اپنے استعفے کے بارے میں پھیلائی جانے والی بے بنیاد افواہوں کو رد کر دیا۔

Us ne apne istifay ke baare mein phailaai jaane waali be bunyaad afwaahon ko radd kar diya.

The court ruled that the charges were unfounded and acquitted the defendant.

عدالت نے فیصلہ دیا کہ الزامات بے بنیاد ہیں اور ملزم کو بری کر دیا۔

Adalat ne faisla diya ke ilzamaat be bunyaad hain aur mulzim ko bari kar diya.

His unfounded fears about the project made him unnecessarily anxious.

منصوبے کے بارے میں اس کے بے بنیاد خدشات نے اسے غیر ضروری طور پر پریشان کر دیا۔

Mansoobay ke baare mein us ke be bunyaad khadshat ne use ghair zaroori taur par pareshan kar diya.

The newspaper was forced to retract the unfounded claims it had published.

اخبار کو مجبوراً وہ بے بنیاد دعوے واپس لینے پڑے جو اس نے شائع کیے تھے۔

Akhbaar ko majbooran woh be bunyaad daawey wapas lene paRe jo us ne shaaya kiye the.

Easily Confused With

unfound:'Unfound' means something that has not been found or discovered, whereas 'unfounded' means lacking a factual basis or evidence.
ungrounded:'Ungrounded' can mean either lacking a foundation (similar to unfounded) or, in electrical contexts, not connected to earth. 'Unfounded' is specifically used for claims, beliefs, or allegations without evidence.
groundless:'Groundless' is nearly synonymous with 'unfounded' but is slightly more informal. 'Unfounded' is the preferred term in legal and journalistic contexts.
unproven:'Unproven' means something has not yet been proved — it may still turn out to be true. 'Unfounded' implies there is actively no basis for the claim.

Word Family

found
verbبنیاد رکھنا
founded
adjectiveبنیاد پر مبنی
foundation
nounبنیاد
foundational
adjectiveبنیادی
unfoundedly
adverbبے بنیاد طریقے سے
groundless
adjectiveبے بنیاد
unfoundedness
nounبے بنیادی

See Also

💡 Memory Tip

Think of 'unfounded' as something with NO FOUNDATION — like a building with no base, it cannot stand. If an argument has no foundation, it is 'unfounded'. The word literally contains 'found' (foundation), with 'un-' negating it.

Picture a grand castle floating in the air with nothing beneath it — no ground, no pillars, no base. That castle represents an unfounded claim: impressive-looking on the surface but with absolutely nothing supporting it.

✍️ Urdu Poetry

الزام لگانا آسان ہے، ثبوت کہاں لاؤ گے بے بنیاد باتوں سے کیا انصاف پاؤ گے

Ilzaam lagaana aasaan hai, saboot kahaan laaoge Be bunyaad baaton se kya insaaf paaoge

It is easy to level an accusation — but where will you bring the proof? What justice can you hope to find from words that have no foundation?

Unknown, Unverified

* Poetry attribution is AI-generated and may require verification.

🗣️ Urdu Proverb

جھوٹ کے پاؤں نہیں ہوتے

Jhoot ke paaon nahin hote

A lie has no legs — meaning falsehood and unfounded claims cannot sustain themselves for long.

📖 Etymology

Origin: Old English / Latin "un- + foundare" — un- (not) + foundare (to lay a foundation, to establish)

First known use: 17th century (circa 1640s)

The word 'unfounded' is formed from the prefix 'un-' (Old English, meaning 'not') and 'founded', which derives from Old French 'fonder' and Latin 'fundare', meaning 'to lay a foundation'. The word came into use in the 17th century to describe claims, beliefs, or allegations that lack a factual basis or supporting evidence.