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unemphatic

adjective

Definition of unemphaticnext
1
as in mild

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2
as in inconspicuous

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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 unemphatic The beat is steady and usually unemphatic; the song circles through three chords again and again. — Jon Pareles, New York Times, 6 July 2018 This 1991 feature, the second by Mexican filmmaker Maria Novaro, is leisurely paced and unemphatic but firmly conceived and executed, with a lot of feeling for female solidarity. — Patrick Friel, Chicago Reader, 17 Apr. 2018 This line, delivered in his usual uninflected, unemphatic tone, is chilling, something that the villain in a Hitchcock thriller, one of those immaculately amoral gentleman-monsters, might have said. — Lili Anolik, Vanities, 14 Dec. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unemphatic
  1. mild
  2. inconspicuous
  3. ambiguous
  4. unobtrusive
  5. nonassertive
  6. unremarkable
  7. guarded
  8. unshowy
Adjective
  • Most residual errors identified in recent evaluations fall into mild-to-moderate severity when the note gets properly reviewed.
    — Pat Williams, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
  • An examination of half of the building’s 278 panels reportedly revealed that 46 had severe structural corrosion and 93 had mild-to-moderate corrosion; one third of them requires immediate replacement.
    — Francesca Aton, ARTnews.com, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of mild
Adjective
  • When in doubt, test your cleaning solution on an inconspicuous spot first.
    — Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Mist dry clothing between wears, smooth wrinkles by hand and test an inconspicuous area first on delicate fabrics.
    — Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of inconspicuous
Adjective
  • The diabolical is ambiguous and often frankly sexy; the ridiculous is not.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Others require deep intelligence—analyzing complex financial information, generating code from ambiguous requirements or weighing competing factors.
    — Nitin Gupta, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of ambiguous
Adjective
  • Staff are attentive and knowledgeable but unobtrusive, and the cocktails are excellent.
    — Irenie Forshaw, TheWeek, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The documentary reality of Ryan’s life leans on observational verité techniques, with the camera often placed at an unobtrusive distance and following their freewheeling motions.
    — Marshall Shaffer, IndieWire, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of unobtrusive
Adjective
  • People who knew Zhang described him to police as a nonassertive man who avoided conflict and typically acquiesced to his wife.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 14 June 2021
  • Those who saw an assertive ad chose to allocate $7 of the gift card to the brand on average, compared with $14 for those who saw a nonassertive ad.
    — Alina Dizik, WSJ, 16 May 2017
Definition of nonassertive
Adjective
  • So, arguably, does his earlier, less sensational but equally radical Passing By (1974), charting the beginning, middle, and end of an ordinary love affair between two unremarkable young men.
    — Simon Callow, The New York Review of Books, 19 Sep. 2026
  • But there could be a more compelling reason to bench Watson after another unremarkable week and that is all about the venue where the games are scheduled.
    — Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of unremarkable
Adjective
  • When that happens, people become more guarded, less open and less willing to engage.
    — Tony Gambill, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2026
  • Our spirits remain guarded, but high, for this one; the Venice Film Festival crowd seemed to eat it up.
    — Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 3 Sep. 2024
Definition of guarded
Adjective
  • The clothes were unshowy but versatile, appropriate for the office but casual enough for weekend wear.
    — Scottie Andrew, CNN Money, 20 May 2026
  • Ruth is an extraordinary heroine, rock-solid strong in a completely unshowy, sincere, vulnerable way.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 May 2026
Definition of unshowy

Browse Nearby Words

unemotional
unemphatic
unempirical
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Cite this Entry

“Unemphatic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unemphatic. Accessed 21 Sep. 2026.

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