1
as in messy
lacking in order, neatness, and often cleanliness
an unkempt and cluttered room
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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
Weeds can take over in a hurry, choking out lawns and gardens and making landscapes look unkempt.
—
Arricca Elin Sansone, Country Living, 12 July 2023
Wallace’s bob was poker-straight, whereas Emily’s unkempt, messy waves boast plenty of texture.
—Alice Cary, Vogue, 3 Feb. 2023
Oh, there's the unkempt west side near Red Bank Avenue, known as the Thickets, where those seeking or selling drugs can sometimes be found after dark, and where there's the occasional mugging, but the Thickets is only three acres of 740.
—Clark Collis, EW.com, 23 Jan. 2023
Some lawns are manicured while others are unkempt.
—Dallas News, 20 Dec. 2022
See All Example Sentences for unkempt
Arricca Elin Sansone, Country Living, 12 July 2023
Wallace’s bob was poker-straight, whereas Emily’s unkempt, messy waves boast plenty of texture.
—Alice Cary, Vogue, 3 Feb. 2023
Oh, there's the unkempt west side near Red Bank Avenue, known as the Thickets, where those seeking or selling drugs can sometimes be found after dark, and where there's the occasional mugging, but the Thickets is only three acres of 740.
—Clark Collis, EW.com, 23 Jan. 2023
Some lawns are manicured while others are unkempt.
—Dallas News, 20 Dec. 2022
See All Example Sentences for unkempt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unkempt
Adjective
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Now that the series is streaming on Netflix, fans old and new are curious to see what the cast of Nashville has been up to since that messy series finale.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
20 Sep. 2025
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This song encourages them to get messy, play, and have fun with this staple activity of the Halloween season.—
Elisabeth Sherman,
Parents,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Manning was inconsistent through the air, and the Longhorns were sloppy in some areas, but their defense limited UTEP's offense, giving Texas enough to pull away.—
Ben Verbrugge,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 Sep. 2025
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Bad salad kits have sloppy cuts of vegetables, meager toppings and oily or single-note dressings that are either too salty or just plain bland.—
Jolene Thym,
Mercury News,
16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
As chaotic and inventive as Vampire Weekend‘s arrangements get over five studio albums, things never feel out of control.—
William Earl,
Variety,
21 Sep. 2025
-
The four-time Formula One champion began in pole position after a chaotic qualifying session on Saturday and was never troubled after making a good start in Baku.—
Jamie Barton,
CNN Money,
21 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Grand Prize Bird Photos The Grand Prize Winner for the new Colombia and Chile category was awarded to this image of a blue-and-gray kingfisher flying out of the water, creating a splash around its wet body, shaggy crest, white collar and rufous belly.—
Cecilia Rodriguez,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
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Larsa Pippen milled around the outskirts while Lindsay Lohan, in a silky slip dress and a shaggy cream coat, was spotted smiling and posing for photos with the brand's fashion director Tara Rudes Dann.—
Anika Reed,
USA Today,
18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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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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Grab a sponge and a bucket, some vinegar, and dish soap, and scrub away that filthy grime.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
19 Sep. 2025
-
Nothing sends chills down your spine like evil clowns, undead monsters and a filthy car.—
Charlie Vargas,
Oc Register,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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But having a lineup of bottles and jars on the counter looks a little untidy.—
Lisa Cericola,
Southern Living,
3 Aug. 2025
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The untidy performance, which featured two throwing errors in the infield and a season-high five walks from Carlos Rodón, dropped the second-place Yankees to 55-45.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
22 July 2025
Adjective
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When my first biopsy came back as noncancerous, everyone was confused.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 Sep. 2025
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One of the abstentions on the VFC coverage vote was Meissner, who didn't want to strip the recommendation or the VFC coverage but was entirely confused by how this would work in practice.—
Beth Mole,
ArsTechnica,
18 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unkempt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unkempt. Accessed 22 Sep. 2025.
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