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 Assistant is pretty much a straight shooter and doesn’t seem haywire or unsavory. —Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026

Such positive associations make milk a powerful metaphor for what America could be—if certain unsavory elements of modernity could be undone or erased. —Yasmin Tayag, The Atlantic, 18 Jan. 2026

The Bone Temple begins with Spike’s initiation into this unsavory group, and that’s where the movie’s problems begin, too. —Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 14 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

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