unkempt

adjective

un·​kempt ˌən-ˈkem(p)t 

1

: not combed

unkempt hair

2

: deficient in order or neatness

unkempt individuals

unkempt hotel rooms

also : rough, unpolished

unkempt prose

Synonyms of unkempt

• messy
• chaotic
• littered
• sloppy
• filthy
• confused
• cluttered
• disheveled
• shaggy
• jumbled

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

Clothes that don’t fit well tend to lose their shape, making the rest of your outfit feel unkempt by midday. —Gabrielle Porcaro, Travel + Leisure, 18 Apr. 2026

Over time, the unoccupied and unkempt property — from deteriorating exteriors to overgrown yards — can create issues within the existing community. —Stacy Lambe, PEOPLE, 18 Apr. 2026

All these delightful, unkempt, messy characters, and the actors who portray them, pop off the screen in huge ways. —Randy Myers, Mercury News, 9 Apr. 2026

On Ocean Drive where the Art Deco hotels still have spectacular ocean views but have mostly small, unkempt rooms. —Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 27 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English unkemd, unkempt, from un- + kembed, kempt, past participle of kemben to comb, from Old English cemban; akin to Old High German chempen to comb, Old English camb comb — more at comb

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for unkempt

• attempt
• contempt
• exempt
• preempt
• empt
• tempt
• nonexempt

Kids Definition

unkempt

adjective

un·​kempt ˌən-ˈkem(p)t 

1

: not combed

2

: lacking in order or neatness : untidy