unbeautiful

adjective

un·​beau·​ti·​ful ˌən-ˈbyü-ti-fəl How to pronounce unbeautiful (audio)
: not beautiful : unattractive
unbeautifully adverb

Examples of unbeautiful in a Sentence

a makeshift shelter that was unbeautiful perhaps, but it kept us out of the rain
Recent Examples on the Web Then over the Pont de la Concorde, an unbeautiful bridge that holds great historical significance. Anna Hartley, Washington Post, 19 Aug. 2022 But it is often done in some very unbeautiful circumstances, for low wages, and in unhealthy work environments. Emma Specter, Vogue, 10 Aug. 2022 Buddhism was born under a giant fig tree, which, today, grows at the center of the remote and unbeautiful town of Bodh Gaya, in India’s destitute northeastern state of Bihar. Paul Salopek, The New Yorker, 9 Aug. 2019 These things are for the unbeautiful, the uneducated, the uncouth. Dwight Garner, New York Times, 21 June 2017 Our sound, right now, is going to be the most blatant way of saying things -- the most unbeautiful, realistic lyrics. Taylor Weatherby, Billboard, 20 June 2017 Will magnificent objects suffer if they are found to have unbeautiful back stories? Holland Cotter, New York Times, 17 Mar. 2016

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'unbeautiful.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unbeautiful was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near unbeautiful

Cite this Entry

“Unbeautiful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unbeautiful. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

unbeautiful

adjective
un·​beaut·​i·​ful
-ˈbyüt-i-fəl
: not beautiful : unattractive
unbeautifully
-f(ə-)lē
adverb
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