unkempt
adjective
un·kempt
ˌən-ˈkem(p)t 
1
: not combed
unkempt hair
2
: deficient in order or neatness
unkempt individuals
unkempt hotel rooms
Examples of unkempt in a Sentence
She wore rumpled clothing and her hair was unkempt.
an unkempt and cluttered room
Recent Examples on the Web
The state police photos show a typical off-campus residence – albeit a little on the unkempt side, with cases of alcohol littering the common areas, a folding table set up for beer pong, and empty cans on the floor.
—
Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 23 Aug. 2025
If Washington streets and public places are unkempt and unsafe, who will venture to go there?
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 19 Aug. 2025
Most wine lovers know that the word Sauvignon comes from the French word sauvage and the word blanc simply means white, but most people don’t know the reason is because when untrained vines of the variety have a distinctly unkempt appearance.
—Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 4 Nov. 2024
But, as in these United States, the key question remains whether creeping totalitarianism — from the left and the right — will squeeze everyday people out of their inalienable right to just be their sometimes obnoxious, unkempt, idiosyncratic selves.
—Ed Wallace, New York Daily News, 6 June 2024
See All Example Sentences for unkempt
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Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 23 Aug. 2025
If Washington streets and public places are unkempt and unsafe, who will venture to go there?
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 19 Aug. 2025
Most wine lovers know that the word Sauvignon comes from the French word sauvage and the word blanc simply means white, but most people don’t know the reason is because when untrained vines of the variety have a distinctly unkempt appearance.
—Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 4 Nov. 2024
But, as in these United States, the key question remains whether creeping totalitarianism — from the left and the right — will squeeze everyday people out of their inalienable right to just be their sometimes obnoxious, unkempt, idiosyncratic selves.
—Ed Wallace, New York Daily News, 6 June 2024
See All Example Sentences for unkempt
Cite this Entry
“Unkempt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unkempt. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
unkempt
adjective
un·kempt
ˌən-ˈkem(p)t
1
: not combed
2
: lacking in order or neatness : untidy
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