1
as in ugly
unpleasant to look at
a character actor with a distinctively craggy, unhandsome face
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in rude
showing a lack of manners or consideration for others
in an interview the free-spoken actor made some unhandsome remarks about his costars
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of unhandsome
In the ’50s, almost all apparel sold in America was made in America, much of it in that blunt, unhandsome neighborhood halfway between Midtown and Chelsea, a patch of blocks less than a square mile, crammed daily with hundreds of thousands of workers.
—
Susan Dominus Photographs By Joshua Kissi Styled By Ian Bradley Sasha Weiss Photographs By Collier Schorr Styled By Jay Massacret Megan O’Grady Portrait By Mickalene Thomas and Racquel Chevremont Ligaya Mishan Photographs By Tina Barney, New York Times, 14 Oct. 2021
Susan Dominus Photographs By Joshua Kissi Styled By Ian Bradley Sasha Weiss Photographs By Collier Schorr Styled By Jay Massacret Megan O’Grady Portrait By Mickalene Thomas and Racquel Chevremont Ligaya Mishan Photographs By Tina Barney, New York Times, 14 Oct. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unhandsome
Adjective
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Both state and church are also known for failing to live up to those ideals, for permitting indefensible abuses, for ugly histories.—
Joe Mathews,
Mercury News,
18 June 2026
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Featuring the good, the bad and the ugly, ‘Look of the Week’ is a regular series dedicated to unpacking the most talked about outfit of the last seven days.—
Fiona Sinclair Scott,
CNN Money,
17 June 2026
Adjective
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It’s widely considered rude and annoying when people cluster by the train doors if there are more people on the platform attempting to get on.—
Claudia Fisher,
Travel + Leisure,
15 June 2026
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Many of these terms were meant as insults and were – and remain today – tremendously rude, but others reflect the bewilderment of trying to categorize people who don’t fit into standard categories easily.—
Ky Merkley,
The Conversation,
15 June 2026
Adjective
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The remarks not only referred to the aesthetics of the game – tedious matches devoid of skillful merit that were unpleasing to watch.—
Cesar R. Torres,
The Conversation,
26 May 2026
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Usually a team of elegant offense, Michigan instead clanked 13 triples off the rim and relied on its inside defensive ferocity to win a game nearly as aesthetically unpleasing as UConn’s 53-41 win over Butler in 2011.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Coaches Dawn Staley of South Carolina and Geno Auriemma of UConn had a heated courtside exchange afterward as Auriemma, in character, complained about the officiating and proved an ungracious loser, but at least apologized a day later.—
Greg Cote
April 5,
Miami Herald,
5 Apr. 2026
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This person was a guest in your home, and her behavior comes off as ungracious.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Everyone's favorite hideous ogre and delusional donkey are finally reunited.—
Derek Lawrence,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 June 2026
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This is a hideous colour, the sort that shouldn’t be seen anywhere other than on someone helping kids cross the road near a school.—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
10 June 2026
Adjective
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The Livermore Valley Joint Unified School Board on Tuesday finalized a three-year contract for a new superintendent after the abrupt departure of former Superintendent Torie Gibson earlier this year.—
Kyle Martin,
Mercury News,
19 June 2026
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Authorities said that in the days leading up to her disappearance, Moore exhibited behavior that was out of character, including a sudden absence and an abrupt change in social media presence, according to ABC News.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
18 June 2026
Adjective
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Beyond that, its charm lies in its ghoulishly grotesque humor and wildly expressive animation.—
Skyler Trepel,
Entertainment Weekly,
20 June 2026
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The main enemy faction, The Hiss, looks even more grotesque than before, almost otherworldly.—
George Yang,
Space.com,
15 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unhandsome.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unhandsome. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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