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

Trump’s twenty-five-minute address, delivered from the East Room, had the self-congratulatory air of a State of the Union speech without the accompanying props—cheering lawmakers, unsmiling Justices, celebrity guests. — Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 17 July 2026

In the clip, Josie has a serious, unsmiling expression, which created a humorous contrast with the celebratory scene around her. — Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 10 June 2026

Real, unsmiling, circa-1400 Vikings like Eric the Red and Hagar the Horrible. — Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 6 June 2026

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

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