baseless

baseless, groundless, unfounded, unwarranted mean not justified or justifiable in any way.

Baseless implies an entire lack of foundation; it imputes to a thing lack of actuality in itself or in the events or facts upon which it is supposedly based

{

the baseless fabric of this vision— Shak.

}

{

he proved the rumors baseless

}

{

no claim could have been more utterly baseless— J. R. Green

}

Groundless stresses the absence of a cause or reason; it is applied especially to thoughts, emotions, or feelings that arise seemingly from nothing and have no perceptible or justifying cause

{

groundless fears

}

{

groundless suspicions

}

Unfounded sometimes implies baselessness but more often suggests lack of support or want of evidence, authority, or proof

{

his theory is not entirely unfounded

}

{

an unfounded belief

}

Unwarranted emphasizes the fact of exceeding the bounds of what is authorized, sanctioned, believable, or reasonable

{

the unwarranted proceedings of a lower court

}

{

take unwarranted liberties

}

{

an unwarranted assumption

}

Analogous words: *false, wrong: unsupported, unsustained (see corresponding affirmative verbs at SUPPORT)

Contrasted words: true, actual, *real: *authentic, veritable, bona fide, genuine