unseemly

1 of 2

adjective

un·​seem·​ly ˌən-ˈsēm-lē How to pronounce unseemly (audio)
: not seemly: such as
a
: not according with established standards of good form or taste
unseemly bickering
b
: not suitable for time or place : inappropriate, unseasonable
unseemliness noun

unseemly

2 of 2

adverb

: in an unseemly manner
Choose the Right Synonym for unseemly

indecorous, improper, unseemly, unbecoming, indelicate mean not conforming to what is accepted as right, fitting, or in good taste.

indecorous suggests a violation of accepted standards of good manners.

indecorous behavior

improper applies to a broader range of transgressions of rules not only of social behavior but of ethical practice or logical procedure or prescribed method.

improper use of campaign contributions

unseemly adds a suggestion of special inappropriateness to a situation or an offensiveness to good taste.

remarried with unseemly haste

unbecoming suggests behavior or language that does not suit one's character or status.

conduct unbecoming to an officer

indelicate implies a lack of modesty or of tact or of refined perception of feeling.

indelicate expressions for bodily functions

Examples of unseemly in a Sentence

Adjective He spent unseemly amounts of money on himself. an unseemly interest in their host's income and expenses
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
The committee had by this time earned a reputation for unseemly grandstanding, and White played this to his advantage. Benn Steil, Foreign Affairs, 11 Feb. 2013 But what finally derailed the case was the Nixon administration’s unseemly overtures to the judge. Christopher Goffard, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2024
Adverb
This side of the financing world is competitive in its jostling for clients and can be a bit unseemly. Brendan Coffey, Sportico.com, 9 Oct. 2024 Tipping in those situations might seem odd, even unseemly today, but tax-free income is hard to resist. Virginia Postrel, The Mercury News, 31 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for unseemly 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'unseemly.' 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

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Adverb

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unseemly was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near unseemly

Cite this Entry

“Unseemly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unseemly. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

unseemly

adjective
un·​seem·​ly
ˌən-ˈsēm-lē,
ˈən-
: not seemly : not polite or proper
unseemly arguing in public

More from Merriam-Webster on unseemly

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!