unsavory

adjective

un·​sa·​vory ˌən-ˈsā-və-rē 

-ˈsāv-rē

1

: insipid, tasteless

2

a

: unpleasant to taste or smell

b

: disagreeable, distasteful

an unsavory assignment

especially : morally offensive

unsavory business practices

Synonyms of unsavory

• distasteful
• unappetizing
• unpalatable
• bad
• horrible
• nasty
• awful
• brackish
• filthy
• yucky
• obnoxious

Examples of unsavory in a Sentence

He is an unsavory character.

an unsavory blend of spices that simply overwhelmed the fish's delicate flavor

Recent Examples on the Web

The action eventually moves to Medellín, with Pine on the trail of a smooth young Colombian mogul, Teddy Dos Santos (Diego Calva), whose combination of philanthropic ties and unsavory connections sound a bit too familiar. —Judy Berman, Time, 9 Jan. 2026

Matt Gaetz may have tripped over unsavory findings in a House Ethics Committee report and fallen by the wayside. —Pat Beall, Sun Sentinel, 2 Jan. 2026

Just the same, this was some unsavory stuff from a team that began the season in Brazil with Reid chastising his players for their effort in an opening loss to the Chargers. —Kansas City Star, 21 Dec. 2025

There are clashing timelines involved here that make the unsavory appear routine, just as there are in most aspects of college football. —Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 2 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for unsavory

• proslavery
• antislavery
• bravery
• knavery
• savory
• slavery

Kids Definition

unsavory

adjective

un·​sa·​vory ˌən-ˈsāv(-ə)-rē 

ˈən-

1

: having little or no taste

2

: having a bad taste or smell

3

: morally bad