as in solemn
not joking or playful in mood or manner
delivered the reprimand with a harsh and unsmiling face
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Recent Examples of unsmiling
The portrait's lack of background and Trump's unsmiling gaze further differentiates it from those of his predecessors.
—
Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 4 June 2025
And often next to Ed, holding a single malt, there would be an unsmiling writer of great pretension looking down at you from a great height.
—Gary Shteyngart, The Atlantic, 4 June 2025
The card's main feature is Trump's face — staring downwards at the camera, unsmiling — and is flanked by the Statue of Liberty, a circle of stars and Trump's signature.
—Rachel Raposas, People.com, 4 Apr. 2025
His Rick Honeycutt is utterly humorless, but the movie isn’t; there are plenty of laughs in pitting his deadpan impatience — conveyed by an unsmiling mouth under a push-broom mustache — against the idiot confidence of Billy Crudup’s man-child entrepreneur.
—A.a. Dowd, Vulture, 10 Mar. 2024
See All Example Sentences for unsmiling
Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 4 June 2025
And often next to Ed, holding a single malt, there would be an unsmiling writer of great pretension looking down at you from a great height.
—Gary Shteyngart, The Atlantic, 4 June 2025
The card's main feature is Trump's face — staring downwards at the camera, unsmiling — and is flanked by the Statue of Liberty, a circle of stars and Trump's signature.
—Rachel Raposas, People.com, 4 Apr. 2025
His Rick Honeycutt is utterly humorless, but the movie isn’t; there are plenty of laughs in pitting his deadpan impatience — conveyed by an unsmiling mouth under a push-broom mustache — against the idiot confidence of Billy Crudup’s man-child entrepreneur.
—A.a. Dowd, Vulture, 10 Mar. 2024
See All Example Sentences for unsmiling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unsmiling
Adjective
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While solemn Veterans Day remembrance ceremonies were taking place at the National WWI Museum and Memorial on Tuesday, people were also there observing the holiday by making replicas of poppies.—
Emily Curiel,
Kansas City Star,
12 Nov. 2025
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The solemn occasion is a time to reflect on these American patriots who made the ultimate sacrifice.—
Sarah Moore,
Freep.com,
10 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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On Academy Street, taken over by Dominicans, the Fourth translated into a jubilant handful of families and neighbors on each stretch of sidewalk, with speakers, folding chairs, and beer bottles at the foot of stern buildings.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
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The boat can easily accommodate a dozen guests, thanks to the abundant seating, including a rear-facing lounge at the stern and bow lounge.—
Michael Verdon,
Robb Report,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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If Haaland isn’t my choice here, there should be serious consideration at The Athletic about sacking me.—
Andy Jones,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
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As for the safety of the drug, about 10% of the adults taking enlicitide experienced serious adverse events during the study and a similar share, about 12%, of those taking a placebo experienced adverse events in the study.—
Jacqueline Howard,
CNN Money,
8 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unsmiling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unsmiling. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.
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