: an ignorant or underprivileged group : rabble
—usually used with great
the great unwashed
Synonyms
Examples of unwashed in a Sentence
Adjective
a sink full of unwashed dishes
a TV producer who knew what the unwashed masses wanted—and unhesitatingly gave it to them
Noun
Aunt Edna was fond of snootily reminding us that we need not take our manners from the great unwashed.
Recent Examples on the Web
Aliza Chasan, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2023
When the refrigerator is set to about 35 to 38° F, unwashed greens generally last about 7 to 10 days.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Aug. 2023
Ivan and Alyosha, Fyodor’s sons by his late second wife, were left unwashed and underfed.
—Jennifer Wilson, The New Yorker, 24 July 2023
The spread of disease -- person to person, through a sneeze or a loud exclamation, or via an unwashed surface -- has been a hot topic of conversation in recent years.
—Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 8 Dec. 2022
Elon Musk’s chaotic takeover of Twitter has led to panic among prominent pundits and politicians horrified by prospect of Twitter amplifying the most radical voices of the unwashed online mob.
—Jacob McHangama, Time, 5 Dec. 2022
Suddenly, the unwashed body and blood notes felt real.
—Steven Vargas, Los Angeles Times, 16 Nov. 2022
To avoid your odds of mold, store unwashed raspberries in a shallow, breathable container in the refrigerator.
—Sarra Sedghi, Bon Appétit, 17 July 2023
How To Store Green Beans Store green beans, unwashed, in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.
—Jasmine Smith, Southern Living, 21 June 2023
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Adjective
People can get sick from touching a turtle or anything in its environment and then touching their mouth or food with unwashed hands and swallowing salmonella germs.
—Aliza Chasan, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2023
When the refrigerator is set to about 35 to 38° F, unwashed greens generally last about 7 to 10 days.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Aug. 2023
Ivan and Alyosha, Fyodor’s sons by his late second wife, were left unwashed and underfed.
—Jennifer Wilson, The New Yorker, 24 July 2023
The spread of disease -- person to person, through a sneeze or a loud exclamation, or via an unwashed surface -- has been a hot topic of conversation in recent years.
—Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 8 Dec. 2022
Elon Musk’s chaotic takeover of Twitter has led to panic among prominent pundits and politicians horrified by prospect of Twitter amplifying the most radical voices of the unwashed online mob.
—Jacob McHangama, Time, 5 Dec. 2022
Suddenly, the unwashed body and blood notes felt real.
—Steven Vargas, Los Angeles Times, 16 Nov. 2022
To avoid your odds of mold, store unwashed raspberries in a shallow, breathable container in the refrigerator.
—Sarra Sedghi, Bon Appétit, 17 July 2023
How To Store Green Beans Store green beans, unwashed, in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.
—Jasmine Smith, Southern Living, 21 June 2023
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'unwashed.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Phrases Containing unwashed
Dictionary Entries Near unwashed
Cite this Entry
“Unwashed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unwashed. Accessed 29 Sep. 2023.
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