unholy
adjective
un·ho·ly
ˌən-ˈhō-lē 
1
: showing disregard for what is holy : wicked
2
: deserving of censure
an unholy alliance between politicians and lobbyists
3
: very unpleasant : god-awful
an unholy mess
unholiness
noun
Examples of unholy in a Sentence
Our finances were an unholy mess.
They have spent an unholy amount of money on the project.
Recent Examples on the Web
As a result, politicians are indebted to a few hundred billionaires who drop unholy amounts of cash every election cycle.
—
Adam Serwer, The Atlantic, 26 Feb. 2026
Those board members, many of whom will face voters this coming November, can see that the unholy alliance of the city’s most powerful public-sector union with the mayor’s office leads only to unaffordable tax bills, with precious little in return for their constituents’ families.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 25 Feb. 2026
Emily Brontë’s novel is a book that stains — its emotions seep through generations, its hatreds metastasize, its love transforms into something unholy and permanent.
—Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 11 Feb. 2026
Islamists battled for their own theocratic nation, and bands of Christian cultists—whom locals, naming them according to their most notorious act, called chop-chop—severed the heads of those deemed unholy in villages and towns across Mindanao.
—Sean Williams, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
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Adam Serwer, The Atlantic, 26 Feb. 2026
Those board members, many of whom will face voters this coming November, can see that the unholy alliance of the city’s most powerful public-sector union with the mayor’s office leads only to unaffordable tax bills, with precious little in return for their constituents’ families.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 25 Feb. 2026
Emily Brontë’s novel is a book that stains — its emotions seep through generations, its hatreds metastasize, its love transforms into something unholy and permanent.
—Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 11 Feb. 2026
Islamists battled for their own theocratic nation, and bands of Christian cultists—whom locals, naming them according to their most notorious act, called chop-chop—severed the heads of those deemed unholy in villages and towns across Mindanao.
—Sean Williams, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unholy
Cite this Entry
“Unholy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unholy. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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