as in unpleasant
bad, harmful, or unpleasant
The drug has some undesirable side effects. This decision may have undesirable consequences.
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Recent Examples of undesirable
The phenomenon of cavitation—the formation and collapse of tiny gas bubbles due to changes in pressure—was considered an undesirable and largely uncontrollable side effect.
—
IEEE Spectrum, 22 Dec. 2025
Amaryllis is not typically fatal to cats and dogs, but can cause undesirable symptoms, including vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, salivation, and tremors.
—Maddie Topliff, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Dec. 2025
Feeding bobcats can result in habituation and undesirable behaviors.
—Marvin Hurst, CBS News, 10 Dec. 2025
The resulting decay made living in downtown areas of many cities undesirable and triggered urban renewal projects.
—Peter Müllner, The Conversation, 10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for undesirable
IEEE Spectrum, 22 Dec. 2025
Amaryllis is not typically fatal to cats and dogs, but can cause undesirable symptoms, including vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, salivation, and tremors.
—Maddie Topliff, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Dec. 2025
Feeding bobcats can result in habituation and undesirable behaviors.
—Marvin Hurst, CBS News, 10 Dec. 2025
The resulting decay made living in downtown areas of many cities undesirable and triggered urban renewal projects.
—Peter Müllner, The Conversation, 10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for undesirable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for undesirable
Adjective
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Using a speaker outside the stall results in reverb and echoing as the music bounces around the bathroom walls, making the sound muddy and unpleasant.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Jan. 2026
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Given the lack of gravity, even a runny nose can turn into an extremely unpleasant experience, forcing astronauts to resort to unusual measures just to drain mucus from their nasal passages.—
Victor Tangermann,
Futurism,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Students also learn how softer, darker pencils behave differently on paper and how overworking graphite can create unwanted shine.—
Nakell Williams,
CBS News,
12 Jan. 2026
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The new testing initiative follows reporting by The Times that workers repeatedly violated cleanup protocols, possibly leaving fire contaminants behind or moving them into unwanted areas, according to federal reports.—
Tony Briscoe,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Are there horrible smells wafting around?—
Clio Chang,
Curbed,
7 Jan. 2026
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Jimmy Kimmel was horrible, and some of these people.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
6 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Richards has missed Palace’s previous four fixtures after picking up a nasty foot injury against Leeds in the Premier League just before Christmas.—
Greg O'Keeffe,
New York Times,
12 Jan. 2026
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Ra Shaya Kyle, feeling miserable with a nasty cold that kept her out of practice for two days, scored a career-high 30 points to lead the University of Miami women’s basketball team to an 89-73 win over rival Florida State University on Sunday afternoon at the Watsco Center.—
Michelle Kaufman,
Miami Herald,
11 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Undesirable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/undesirable. Accessed 22 Jan. 2026.
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