unflattering

adjective

un·​flat·​ter·​ing ˌən-ˈfla-tə-riŋ How to pronounce unflattering (audio)
: not flattering
an unflattering portrait
especially : unfavorable
unflattering remarks
unflatteringly adverb

Examples of unflattering in a Sentence

She was wearing the most unflattering outfit.
Recent Examples on the Web But social media’s fascination with him is increasingly unflattering, portraying a man of blank stares, confusing asides and wayward sentences — consuming Democrats and shifting the narrative away from Trump just months before the election. Jeffrey Fleishman, Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2024 The New Orleans native went a bit further, equating his perception of Turk’s importance to that of another Destiny’s Child songstress Michelle Williams in an unflattering manner. Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 11 July 2024 An extensive report in Vulture also found that six stories were edited post-publication to remove unflattering information about Hanbury or her connections to the Prince and Princess of Wales. Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 10 July 2024 Former nepo baby becomes vital Paramount partner Invariably Ellison was peppered with unflattering portraits decrying both him and his sister Megan, a producer as well and founder of Annapurna Pictures, as the quintessential nepo babies and trust fund kids. Jodi Helmer, Fortune, 8 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for unflattering 

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

1581, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unflattering was in 1581

Dictionary Entries Near unflattering

Cite this Entry

“Unflattering.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unflattering. Accessed 27 Jul. 2024.

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