unkempt

adjective

ˌən-ˈkem(p)t How to pronounce unkempt (audio)
Definition of unkemptnext
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

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 unkempt The vacant lot in College Town looks a little overgrown but more lush than unkempt. — Matt Baker, New York Times, 17 July 2026 While accent pillows are a great way to add color and pattern into your room design, overdoing it with too many pillows can make for a busy, unkempt look. — Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 11 July 2026 The historic property has been vacant and unkempt since 2015. — David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 26 June 2026 Keep It Clean An unkempt shower curtain can make your bathroom appear dingy. — Shivani Vyas, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for unkempt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unkempt
  1. messy
  2. sloppy
  3. chaotic
  4. shaggy
  5. littered
  6. wrinkled
  7. filthy
  8. untidy
Adjective
  • Traditional approaches to studying cause-and-effect relationships are often not possible when investigating populations and ecosystems, which are large, complex and messy.
    — Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Too many items or mismatched pieces on open shelves and racks can make a room look disorganized and messy.
    — Jolie Kerr, Washington Post, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of messy
Adjective
  • Detroit got a pair of first-half field goals from Jake Bates on a sloppy night for the offense.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Appeal rates also fell slightly, suggesting faster resolution wasn’t leading to sloppier decisions.
    — Edd Gent, IEEE Spectrum, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of sloppy
Adjective
  • More has been learned about the chaotic moments leading up to Friday's violent disruption at a Midtown synagogue.
    — Allen Devlin, CBS News, 16 Aug. 2026
  • In the five years since the chaotic US withdrawal from Kabul and the Taliban’s return to power, Afghanistan has become home to one of the world’s worst human rights and humanitarian emergencies.
    — Kara Fox, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of chaotic
Adjective
  • Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon or sturdy spatula until a shaggy dough forms.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Pixie shag Somewhere between pixie and bixie lies this shaggy devil-may-care crop.
    — Loren Savini, Allure, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of shaggy
Adjective
  • In the past, her songs were so littered with personal details that listening felt voyeuristic.
    — Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 31 Mar. 2026
  • 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
Definition of littered
Adjective
  • Participants with wet but non-wrinkled fingers required significantly more force to maintain the same hold; their hands were working harder to do less.
    — Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
  • Yellowing leaves can indicate overwatering, while wrinkled leaves can point to underwatering.
    — Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 8 Feb. 2026
Definition of wrinkled
Adjective
  • Few things at airports irritate customers like filthy toilets or water on the restroom floor.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 8 Aug. 2026
  • His greatest series let people see a character who has revealed the filthiest, most shameful parts of themselves, and imagine them as a mirror.
    — CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of filthy
Adjective
  • Bäck’s film prefers untidy personal drama to a tidy moral verdict.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 10 Aug. 2026
  • If the shells are bothering you or making your landscape look untidy, cleanup is relatively easy and may even benefit your garden.
    — Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 16 July 2026
Definition of untidy

Browse Nearby Words

unjustness
unkempt
unkept
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Cite this Entry

“Unkempt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unkempt. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of unkempt for Spanish Speakers

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