unkempt

adjective

ˌən-ˈkem(p)t How to pronounce unkempt (audio)
Definition of unkemptnext
1
as in messy
lacking in order, neatness, and often cleanliness an unkempt and cluttered room

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sloppy
lacking neatness in dress or person the stereotype of the unkempt but brilliant scientist

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 unkempt While accent pillows are a great way to add color and pattern into your room design, overdoing it with too many pillows can make for a busy, unkempt look. — Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 11 July 2026 The historic property has been vacant and unkempt since 2015. — David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 26 June 2026 Keep It Clean An unkempt shower curtain can make your bathroom appear dingy. — Shivani Vyas, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 June 2026 Dense planting doesn't have to look wild or unkempt, West notes. — Rachel Silva, Martha Stewart, 12 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for unkempt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unkempt
  1. messy
  2. sloppy
  3. chaotic
  4. shaggy
  5. littered
  6. wrinkled
  7. filthy
  8. untidy
Adjective
  • April 20 – May 20 Steady steps make messy tasks feel manageable.
    — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Everyone has a plan, sure, and sometimes an ironclad belief in their motivations for that plan, but something always twists itself into a messy little knot in the execution.
    — Brian Grubb, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of messy
Adjective
  • With a pointed collar and button cuffs, flannels look more put-together than sloppy sweatshirts, all while staying comfy and relaxed.
    — Nicol Natale, PEOPLE, 6 Aug. 2026
  • That screwed up the works / And not due to his sloppy hiring / Of a crew of incompetent jerks.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of sloppy
Adjective
  • During the actual stream, things moved quickly beyond gambling, turning into something closer to a chaotic Drake variety show.
    — Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Kitchen The kitchen is a hard-working space that can feel chaotic—but doesn’t have to.
    — Maria Sabella, The Spruce, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of chaotic
Adjective
  • The pile is less shaggy and the patterns lean geometric over minimalist.
    — Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 5 Aug. 2026
  • At its best, that instinct lends his comedies a shaggy warmth and a conspiratorial mood that suggests the filmmaker, character, and even viewers are all surviving the humiliation of modern intimacy together.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of shaggy
Adjective
  • In the past, her songs were so littered with personal details that listening felt voyeuristic.
    — Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 31 Mar. 2026
  • The series does not touch on the tabloid attention that followed the Beckhams in 2004, when it was alleged that David had an affair with his personal assistant, Rebecca Loos, and the many further accusations of cheating that littered gossip columns after.
    — Scarlett Harris, Time, 9 Oct. 2025
Definition of littered
Adjective
  • Participants with wet but non-wrinkled fingers required significantly more force to maintain the same hold; their hands were working harder to do less.
    — Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
  • Yellowing leaves can indicate overwatering, while wrinkled leaves can point to underwatering.
    — Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 8 Feb. 2026
Definition of wrinkled
Adjective
  • Being outdoors, they’re exposed to all sorts of dust, pollen, dirt, bird droppings, spider webs, leaves, sap, weather, and pollutants carried by the wind, which can leave a filthy coating on your shutters.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Cleaning our planet’s filthy ports could one day get a boost from a creature with a very messy nickname.
    — Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 30 July 2026
Definition of filthy
Adjective
  • If the shells are bothering you or making your landscape look untidy, cleanup is relatively easy and may even benefit your garden.
    — Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 16 July 2026
  • In the living room, a pilot rearranges an untidy study desk.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2026
Definition of untidy

Browse Nearby Words

unjustness
unkempt
unkept
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Cite this Entry

“Unkempt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unkempt. Accessed 12 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on unkempt

Nglish: Translation of unkempt for Spanish Speakers

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