unsavory
adjective
un·sa·vory
ˌən-ˈsā-və-rē 
-ˈsāv-rē
2
a
: unpleasant to taste or smell
b
: disagreeable, distasteful
an unsavory assignment
especially
: morally offensive
unsavory business practices
Examples of unsavory in a Sentence
He is an unsavory character.
an unsavory blend of spices that simply overwhelmed the fish's delicate flavor
Recent Examples on the Web
Gale’s descriptions of the unsavory conditions in the grocery and the dairy farm are milder than what Upton Sinclair describe in The Jungle, published in 1905, but they are equally pointed.
—
Deborah Williams
july 14, Literary Hub, 14 July 2025
Alcohol was pervasive, and so was the stigma that men, in particular, needed to tough it out even if that drinking had unsavory consequences.
—Cathy Applefeld Olson, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
Oak Lawn’s police department also was formed after an unsavory incident, after several drunken Chicago police officers crashed a community dance in 1913 resulting in a melee involving around 75 residents.
—Janice Neumann, Chicago Tribune, 9 July 2025
The fact that the filmmakers persuade you to root for Monroe’s character, who’s operating in such an unsavory universe, makes this an achievement worth respecting.
—Stephen Farber, HollywoodReporter, 16 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for unsavory
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Deborah Williams
july 14, Literary Hub, 14 July 2025
Alcohol was pervasive, and so was the stigma that men, in particular, needed to tough it out even if that drinking had unsavory consequences.
—Cathy Applefeld Olson, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
Oak Lawn’s police department also was formed after an unsavory incident, after several drunken Chicago police officers crashed a community dance in 1913 resulting in a melee involving around 75 residents.
—Janice Neumann, Chicago Tribune, 9 July 2025
The fact that the filmmakers persuade you to root for Monroe’s character, who’s operating in such an unsavory universe, makes this an achievement worth respecting.
—Stephen Farber, HollywoodReporter, 16 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for unsavory
Cite this Entry
“Unsavory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unsavory. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
unsavory
adjective
un·sa·vory
ˌən-ˈsāv(-ə)-rē
ˈən-
1
: having little or no taste
2
: having a bad taste or smell
3
: morally bad
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share