unpromising
adjective
un·prom·is·ing
ˌən-ˈprä-mə-siŋ 
: appearing unlikely to prove worthwhile or result favorably
an unpromising beginning
Examples of unpromising in a Sentence
Things got off to an unpromising start.
She can do a lot with unpromising material.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adrift but alive, dad (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), daughter (Luna Blaise), daughter’s unpromising boyfriend (David Iacono) and daughter’s younger sister (Audrina Miranda) are rescued by the mercenaries’ expedition.
—
Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 1 July 2025
Australian gold The small town in Australia that’s spreading the story of Vegemite
04:50
Vegemite, an Australian delicacy with the unpromising base material of leftover brewers’ yeast, is so loved in the country there’s even a museum dedicated to it.
—Maureen O'Hare, CNN, 20 Feb. 2025
Yet despite the minimal funding and unpromising history, the search continues to garner both adherents and interest.
—IEEE Spectrum, 15 Aug. 2012
With an aging global population, rates of Alzheimer’s disease on the rise, high costs of care for those with dementia, and an unpromising landscape for effective drugs, questions of how to prevent or slow progression of the disease are important for all of us—not just taxi drivers.
—Christopher M. Worsham, TIME, 14 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unpromising
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Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 1 July 2025
Australian gold The small town in Australia that’s spreading the story of Vegemite
04:50
Vegemite, an Australian delicacy with the unpromising base material of leftover brewers’ yeast, is so loved in the country there’s even a museum dedicated to it.
—Maureen O'Hare, CNN, 20 Feb. 2025
Yet despite the minimal funding and unpromising history, the search continues to garner both adherents and interest.
—IEEE Spectrum, 15 Aug. 2012
With an aging global population, rates of Alzheimer’s disease on the rise, high costs of care for those with dementia, and an unpromising landscape for effective drugs, questions of how to prevent or slow progression of the disease are important for all of us—not just taxi drivers.
—Christopher M. Worsham, TIME, 14 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unpromising
Cite this Entry
“Unpromising.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unpromising. Accessed 31 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
unpromising
adjective
un·prom·is·ing
ˌən-ˈpräm-ə-siŋ
ˈən-
: appearing unlikely to prove worthwhile or successful
unpromisingly
adverb
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