1
as in messy
lacking in order, neatness, and often cleanliness
an unkempt and cluttered room
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sloppy
lacking neatness in dress or person
the stereotype of the unkempt but brilliant scientist
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unkempt
Proper creativity makes for unkempt spaces.
—
Katie Da Cunha Lewin
september 26, Literary Hub, 26 Sep. 2025
Panleukopenia - lethargy, depression, vomiting, diarrhea, painful abdomen, dehydration, weight loss, rough or unkempt hair coat, fever, decreased to absent appetite or collapse.
—Noe Padilla, IndyStar, 25 Sep. 2025
DiCaprio, 50, subverts his Hollywood leading man image by wearing a ratty red robe, unkempt hair and oversized sunglasses as former revolutionary and current stoner Bob Ferguson, who is forced back into action to save himself and his daughter (Chase Infiniti) from paramilitary enforcers.
—Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 23 Sep. 2025
Black Rabbit’s second episode trades the introductory flash-forward for a classic flashback, set in motion by a slightly less unkempt Vince, now sporting a mullet and handlebar mustache in place of his twitchy Manson look from the present timeline.
—Andy Andersen, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unkempt
Katie Da Cunha Lewin
september 26, Literary Hub, 26 Sep. 2025
Panleukopenia - lethargy, depression, vomiting, diarrhea, painful abdomen, dehydration, weight loss, rough or unkempt hair coat, fever, decreased to absent appetite or collapse.
—Noe Padilla, IndyStar, 25 Sep. 2025
DiCaprio, 50, subverts his Hollywood leading man image by wearing a ratty red robe, unkempt hair and oversized sunglasses as former revolutionary and current stoner Bob Ferguson, who is forced back into action to save himself and his daughter (Chase Infiniti) from paramilitary enforcers.
—Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 23 Sep. 2025
Black Rabbit’s second episode trades the introductory flash-forward for a classic flashback, set in motion by a slightly less unkempt Vince, now sporting a mullet and handlebar mustache in place of his twitchy Manson look from the present timeline.
—Andy Andersen, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unkempt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unkempt
Adjective
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The podcast episode premiered amid Angelia Solomon's ongoing court battle more than a decade after her and Aaron Solomon's bitter and messy divorce in 2013.—
Katie Nixon,
Nashville Tennessean,
24 Oct. 2025
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Moisten the disposable sheets with water and a gentle cleaning agent like Dawn dish soap, then use the DIY wet wipes to clean countertops or messy faces.—
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Chelsea occasionally bypassed the press with Gusto, a right-back playing in midfield, and captain Reece James interchanging positions, but were not helped by sloppy moments.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
19 Oct. 2025
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Or that fixing problems like their sloppy first-quarter defense and stagnant run game — at least for one week — gives reason to believe their floor and ceiling will rise higher as the season progresses.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
19 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
San Diego’s chaotic shift in city trash service has begun to stabilize, with more customers signing up for new bins and more of the roughly 19,000 property owners who lost city service managing to strike deals with private haulers.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
19 Oct. 2025
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Her other grands live full, busy and chaotic lives.—
Abigail Van Buren,
Boston Herald,
19 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Her brunette hair was styled with a shaggy aesthetic with fringe to frame her face.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
17 Oct. 2025
-
But as on Letterboxd, Runquist’s YouTube videos are conversational and shaggy.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The series does not touch on the tabloid attention that followed the Beckhams in 2004, when it was alleged that David had an affair with his personal assistant, Rebecca Loos, and the many further accusations of cheating that littered gossip columns after.—
Scarlett Harris,
Time,
9 Oct. 2025
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Cigarette butts are the most littered item on the planet.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
16 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Jackson Lamb has long, greasy hair and a pot belly over which hangs a filthy old trench coat.—
Barbara Ellis,
Denver Post,
20 Oct. 2025
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On the other end, Ja’Marr Chase is coming off an absolutely filthy touchdown grab last Sunday.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Many plants, shrubs, and trees on the three-acre landscape had been ravaged by back-to-back hurricanes, while others had become overgrown and untidy.—
Miranda Crowell,
Better Homes & Gardens,
15 Oct. 2025
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For those with untidy cleaning closets like myself, this nifty holder mounts to your wall and is designed with special grips to hold your go-to broom, tried-and-true mop, and more.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
7 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Those willing to put in the time (and those who aren't easily wigged out) may find to their confused delight that Tippett is the maddest creative god of them all.—
Chris Snellgrove,
Entertainment Weekly,
24 Oct. 2025
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The Oscar-winning filmmaker makes the viewer as torn and confused and at wit’s end as the people trying to avoid doomsday.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
23 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unkempt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unkempt. Accessed 26 Oct. 2025.
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