unenviable

adjective

un·​en·​vi·​able ˌən-ˈen-vē-ə-bəl How to pronounce unenviable (audio)
: not desirable or pleasant : not arousing envy : not enviable
an unenviable position
Kent Alterman, our director, had the unenviable task of herding cats.Will Ferrell

Examples of unenviable in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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More minutes should follow in the States, even if Mbaye has the unenviable task of trying to break into one of Europe’s most devastating attacking tridents. Mark Carey, New York Times, 18 June 2025 Maron plays Chuck Plotkin, the producer with the unenviable task of mastering the rocker's lo-fi approach to Nebraska. Randall Colburn, EW.com, 18 June 2025 Colliton has enjoyed significant AHL success across stints in Rockford and Abbotsford, and served as the Blackhawks’ head coach for nearly three seasons from 2018-2021, while being put in the unenviable position of replacing Joel Quenneville following his dismissal in November 2018. Harman Dayal, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025 Governments remain in an unenviable position regarding strong encryption. Richard Forno, The Conversation, 16 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for unenviable

Word History

First Known Use

1641, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unenviable was in 1641

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Cite this Entry

“Unenviable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unenviable. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.

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