Injustice is a pervasive issue that affects individuals and societies worldwide. Idioms often capture the essence of unfair situations in vivid and memorable ways. In this blog post, we explore 20 idioms that describe various forms of injustice, providing short meanings and example sentences to illustrate their use.
1. A Raw Deal
Meaning: Unfair treatment
Example: She got a raw deal at work.
2. Above the Law
Meaning: Exempt from rules
Example: Some politicians act like they’re above the law.
3. A Stacked Deck
Meaning: Rigged situation
Example: The competition was a stacked deck against smaller companies.
4. Burned by the System
Meaning: Betrayed by authorities
Example: He felt burned by the system after the trial.
5. Double Standard
Meaning: Unequal criteria
Example: There’s a double standard in how they treat employees.
6. Fight City Hall
Meaning: Battle authority
Example: Trying to change the policy is like fighting City Hall.
7. Kangaroo Court
Meaning: Unjust legal proceedings
Example: The trial was a kangaroo court from the start.
8. Make a Scapegoat
Meaning: Blame unfairly
Example: They made her a scapegoat for the project’s failure.
9. Monkey Business
Meaning: Dishonest activities
Example: There’s a lot of monkey business in that organization.
10. Not a Level Playing Field
Meaning: Unfair competition
Example: Small businesses often don’t have a level playing field.
11. On the Take
Meaning: Accepting bribes
Example: The official was on the take for years.
12. Pay Lip Service
Meaning: Insincere agreement
Example: They pay lip service to equality but don’t act on it.
13. Railroading Someone
Meaning: Forcing unfairly
Example: He was railroaded into signing the contract.
14. Red Tape
Meaning: Bureaucratic obstacles
Example: There’s too much red tape to get anything done.
15. Smoke and Mirrors
Meaning: Deceptive actions
Example: The promises were just smoke and mirrors.
16. Sold Down the River
Meaning: Betrayed
Example: He was sold down the river by his own team.
17. Sweep Under the Rug
Meaning: Hide problems
Example: They tried to sweep the scandal under the rug.
18. The Deck Is Stacked
Meaning: Situation is unfair
Example: The deck is stacked against the underprivileged.
19. The Fix Is In
Meaning: Outcome predetermined
Example: Everyone knew the fix was in for the award.
20. Turning a Blind Eye
Meaning: Ignoring wrongdoing
Example: The manager turned a blind eye to the harassment.
