unsmiling

adjective

un·​smil·​ing ˌən-ˈsmī-liŋ 

: not smiling or tending to smile : marked by a somber or serious expression or attitude

a stern, unsmiling teacher

unsmilingly adverb

His views were unsmilingly stated, implacably held, and amenable to no reasonable argument.

—Simon Winchester

Synonyms of unsmiling

• solemn
• stern
• serious

Examples of unsmiling in a Sentence

delivered the reprimand with a harsh and unsmiling face

Recent Examples on the Web

Then, trace your finger to its peak, which, to me, was his starring role as smoldering special forces operative Scott McCoy in the 1986 action movie The Delta Force, co-starring a frail-looking but grizzled and unsmiling Lee Marvin in his last movie. —John Devore, Rolling Stone, 20 Mar. 2026

So much for my unsmiling open mouth in my 2026 passport photo. —Paul Keane, Hartford Courant, 8 Mar. 2026

In one, a worker bee barks like a Georgia bulldog at his unsmiling boss. —Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 2 Feb. 2026

Often taunted by tabloids for her unsmiling demeanor, Victoria shows off her sense of humor and gets real about some of the most difficult parts of her past, including her struggles with an eating disorder and almost losing her fashion business entirely. —Ellise Shafer, Variety, 9 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1826, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for unsmiling

• beguiling
• compiling
• profiling
• refiling
• reviling
• stockpiling
• filing
• piling
• smiling
• styling
• tiling
• reconciling