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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Rutgers, meanwhile, has lost three in a row and now faces the unenviable task of attempting to strip down one of the most intimidating offenses in the nation. Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025 Eaglecrest is the next team up with the unenviable task of trying to slow down the Creek juggernaut. Matt Schubert, Denver Post, 15 Oct. 2025 When crafting the Grey’s Anatomy Season 22 premiere, which picked up in the immediate aftermath of an explosion at Grey Sloan Memorial, showrunner Meg Marinis was given the unenviable task of deciding which beloved hospital staffer wouldn’t live to see Episode 2. Andy Swift, TVLine, 10 Oct. 2025 But both groups share the unenviable position of not being paid until the government reopens. Mike Lillis, The Hill, 8 Oct. 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 25 Oct. 2025.

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