as in ugly
unpleasant to look at
an unappealing mess of dirt and trash in the corner of the room
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unappealing
Powdered brown flakes might seem unappealing or uncommon on breakfast tables here, but in Europe and Latin America, instant coffee is beloved.
—
Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 26 Dec. 2025
Throughout, the depth and quality of Sullivan’s attention to prosaic detail—even plain and unappealing objects—never wavers.
—The Atlantic Culture Desk, The Atlantic, 26 Dec. 2025
But in beer, 99% of the time, diacetyl is considered to be an unappealing flavor.
—John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 24 Dec. 2025
But these are, unfortunately, overpowered by notes that are unappealing, like tannic oak, bitter licorice, wet tobacco, menthol, and—not to be too rude to the whiskey or to anyone’s pet—the smell of wet dog.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 21 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unappealing
Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 26 Dec. 2025
Throughout, the depth and quality of Sullivan’s attention to prosaic detail—even plain and unappealing objects—never wavers.
—The Atlantic Culture Desk, The Atlantic, 26 Dec. 2025
But in beer, 99% of the time, diacetyl is considered to be an unappealing flavor.
—John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 24 Dec. 2025
But these are, unfortunately, overpowered by notes that are unappealing, like tannic oak, bitter licorice, wet tobacco, menthol, and—not to be too rude to the whiskey or to anyone’s pet—the smell of wet dog.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 21 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unappealing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unappealing
Adjective
-
Not because the moms themselves are toxic people, but because the dynamic shifts into an ugly place with mean-girl behavior.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
PEOPLE,
14 Jan. 2026
-
Many quite authentic Natives were targeted for banishment, and the ugly infighting their work inspired was covered widely—by the standards of Indian affairs—in the American media, which saw the battles as part of the larger identity wars raging across the nation in the new millennium.—
David Treuer,
The Atlantic,
13 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Smears on non-sensor areas of the tiara are like bug debris on your hood, aesthetically unpleasing but not harmful.—
Eric Tegler,
Popular Mechanics,
1 Oct. 2019
-
His side's inability to finish off the game against Burnley on the other hand was very unpleasing.—
SI.com,
SI.com,
1 Feb. 2018
Adjective
-
Such jars of moldy fruit were probably fairly hideous to consume.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Jan. 2026
-
The Rodents of Unusual Size that attack Westley in a swamp work because they are played by small men in rodent suits, rather than coolly conjured from pixels; their deliberate artifice is the thrill, and Reiner provided the voice for their hideous snorts.—
Alexandra Schwartz,
New Yorker,
17 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
Those artists never stopped creating scenes that captured the vibrancy—and sometimes the more grotesque side too—of places that remain world capitals today.—
Condé Nast Traveler,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 Jan. 2026
-
The grotesque charade didn’t seem to belong to this world.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
Accelerating the vicious cycle, businesses, aware that the state is unattractive to families, are then further incentivized to either leave or not expand their business to California.—
Wayne Winegarden,
Oc Register,
4 Jan. 2026
-
For instance, there’s a difference between wanting a bikini wax so that body hair doesn’t show during swim team meets, and wanting one because hairless models on Instagram convinced them their pubic hair is unattractive.—
Liz Regalia,
Parents,
27 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unappealing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unappealing. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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