unpopular

adjective

un·​pop·​u·​lar ˌən-ˈpä-pyə-lər 

: not popular : viewed or received unfavorably by the public

unpopularity

ˌən-ˌpä-pyə-ˈler-ə-tē 

-ˈla-rə-

noun

unpopularly adverb

Examples of unpopular in a Sentence

I was unpopular in high school.

Her third album has been unpopular with fans.

Recent conflicts have made him unpopular among the staff.

Recent Examples on the Web

Unfortunately, that has proven unpopular over time and my departure is a consequence of that. — Chris Tye, CBS News, 1 July 2026

This balance is crucial for building trust and ensuring even unpopular decisions are better received. — Kevin Kruse, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026

Individual freedoms depend upon access to a judge who cannot be removed from office for an unpopular decision. — Tom Campbell, Oc Register, 4 July 2026

This idea, unsurprisingly, was unpopular among the Giants who were drafted out of high school — Webb included. — Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 2 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1614, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for unpopular

• maculopapular
• popular

Kids Definition

unpopular

adjective

un·​pop·​u·​lar ˌən-ˈpäp-yə-lər 

ˈən-

: not popular : disliked by many people

unpopularity

ˌən-ˌpäp-yə-ˈlar-ət-ē 

noun