undignified

adjective

un·​dig·​ni·​fied ˌən-ˈdig-nə-ˌfīd How to pronounce undignified (audio)
: not dignified : lacking in dignity or injurious to dignity
undignified behavior
She did not exactly fall, but she staggered and reeled across the room in a very undignified fashion …Lucy Maud Montgomery
… she could not get over the idea that to earn her living was somewhat undignifiedSomerset Maugham

Examples of undignified in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web At that time, many in the foreign policy establishment saw intelligence and espionage as somewhat undignified, even unimportant. William E. Scheuerman, Foreign Affairs, 11 June 2013 Leo reacted by throwing a tantrum even a toddler would find undignified, only to later play it off as if the breakup was completely mutual. Glamour, 2 Oct. 2024 What other actress would have the attitude to star in a film with the sarcastically undignified title My Old Ass? Tom Gliatto, Peoplemag, 13 Sep. 2024 The crackly, award-winning biscuit ($8) shatters between your teeth and smears a somewhat undignified but welcome peck of powdered sugar on your lips. Bradley Hohulin, The Indianapolis Star, 16 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for undignified 

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

1716, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of undignified was in 1716

Dictionary Entries Near undignified

Cite this Entry

“Undignified.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/undignified. Accessed 25 Oct. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on undignified

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!