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

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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

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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
  • Other research suggests trypophobic people find hole clusters as unpleasant as pictures of skin disease and that people with a history of skin problems may find hole clusters particularly uncomfortable to look at.
    — Gabriela Galvin, Scientific American, 26 Oct. 2026
  • That is followed by one focused on exploring conventional notions of beauty by uncovering the unexpected draw of unpleasant scents with Naïla Hamayed, Givaudan’s fragrance evaluator.
    — Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 20 Oct. 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
  • That unexpected fandom has grown over the past two years, with unlikely converts taking to the internet’s alleyways to spread the good word—and, in the process, annoying the doubters.
    — Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Kids in all three countries loved learning dances from TikTok and annoying their siblings.
    — Ryan Lenora Brown, Christian Science Monitor, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of annoying
Adjective
  • However, perovskites are notoriously vulnerable to moisture and harsh chemical environments, posing a clear problem in seawater.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 24 Oct. 2026
  • With another harsh winter approaching, those still there face death from hunger or disease.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of harsh
Verb
  • Notably, the landfill operator’s air quality monitors had repeatedly reported high levels of lung-irritating hydrogen sulfide in 2023 and 2024.
    — Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026
  • The ingredient releases gradually overnight to restore elasticity, even out the skin tone, and minimize the appearance of wrinkles without irritating the skin.
    — Lauren Valenti, Vogue, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of irritating
Adjective
  • The album’s experimental bent is also what keeps the music from slipping into parody or, even worse, po-faced sincerity.
    — Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Judges failing to award fees and government agencies unreasonably resisting paying them make the problem even worse.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of bad
Verb
  • If a passenger won’t wake up after a gentle tap, ask a flight attendant for assistance instead of repeatedly disturbing them.
    — Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Her departure came just the day after prosecutors said the baby's mother discovered disturbing camera footage over a three-month period.
    — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 28 Oct. 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 3 Nov. 2026.

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