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displeasing 1 of 2

adjective

as in unpleasant
not giving pleasure to the mind or senses the new hotel is a displeasing mix of architectural styles

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

displeasing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of displease
as in dissatisfying
to make discontented her coworkers' tendency to pry displeased her

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of displeasing
Adjective
While certain oils work well together (like lemon and tea tree, sweet orange and cinnamon, peppermint and rosemary), aim to mix only two to three oils when blending to avoid a displeasing or overpowering fragrance. — Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Nov. 2025
Verb
The sickly scent of alcohol filled the air and, when mixed with accompanying cigar smoke, combined for an odor most might find displeasing. — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 25 Sep. 2026 But many Spotify users voiced displeasure at the change-up, with some complaining that the disco ball looked pixelated on a small phone screen and, generally, was visually displeasing. — Todd Spangler, Variety, 12 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for displeasing
  1. unpleasant
  2. dissatisfying
  3. unpleasing
  4. annoying
  5. harsh
  6. irritating
  7. bad
  8. disturbing
Adjective
  • For people without underlying risk factors, COVID infections are not outright dangerous but remain deeply unpleasant, Guest and Chin-Hong say.
    — Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Over time, the dog may start to associate the unpleasant noise with the barking and stop.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of unpleasant
Verb
  • His 2-3 playoff record came after a long dissatisfying postseason stretch from Chan Gailey (0-2), Bill Parcells (0-2), Phillips (1-2) and before McCarthy (1-3).
    — Tim Cowlishaw, Dallas Morning News, 5 Jan. 2026
Definition of dissatisfying
Adjective
  • The identity of the unpleasing Lindsay Marriott’s slayer has no pressing interest.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 July 2026
  • The remarks not only referred to the aesthetics of the game – tedious matches devoid of skillful merit that were unpleasing to watch.
    — Cesar R. Torres, The Conversation, 26 May 2026
Definition of unpleasing
Verb
  • Kids in all three countries loved learning dances from TikTok and annoying their siblings.
    — Ryan Lenora Brown, Christian Science Monitor, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Of course, this would depend on whether the managers choose to pick their strongest teams in what for some is a meaningless, even annoying extra fixture, for squads who just want to go home.
    — Eduardo Tansley, New York Times, 18 July 2026
Definition of annoying
Adjective
  • This has been complicated further by the Iran war energy shock which is a harsh wake-up call for Southeast Asia.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Even when used on its own, bleach is incredibly harsh and can strip your floors’ finish, leaving it vulnerable to damage, discoloration, and dullness over time.
    — Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of harsh
Verb
  • The Pisces Moon squares Uranus in your daily-life zone, making unclear instructions, appointments, or routine disruptions especially irritating.
    — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 24 Sep. 2026
  • The textured surface made whisking things like custard or béchamel irritating as the whisk repeatedly snagged on the textured surface.
    — Wilder Davies, Bon Appetit Magazine, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of irritating
Adjective
  • This problem will only get worse, with new cancer cases projected to increase 67% by 2050.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 25 Sep. 2026
  • In a world where true-crime shows of both the fictional and nonfictional variety run rampant on our screens, that’s probably not a bad corporate strategy.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of bad
Verb
  • There’s a story there, a complicated and disturbing one, but the new Netflix film Unabomber won’t be the one to give it to us.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Combs has both utilized and weaponized his fortune, industry status, and reputation to hide a volatile temper and disturbing behavior for decades.
    — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of disturbing

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Cite this Entry

“Displeasing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/displeasing. Accessed 29 Sep. 2026.

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