1
as in unpleasant
not giving pleasure to the mind or senses
Sunday night is often spoiled by the unlovely thought of having to go back to school or work the next morning
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ugly
unpleasant to look at
an unlovely but efficient little machine
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Recent Examples of unlovely
It was supposed to belong to no other region, a geographic leftover to which the unlovely work of government could be relegated.
—
Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 12 Aug. 2025
The Bible teaches that God is Love – infinite and always available, with no unlovely or unloving element.
—Larissa Snorek, Christian Science Monitor, 16 May 2025
In so doing, the state has taken a wholly worthwhile cause — the cause of individual choice — and sullied it with an unlovely combination of hypocrisy and two-bit protectionism.
—The Editors, National Review, 7 May 2024
And this was something that goes by the very unlovely acronym of a BVLOS flight.
—IEEE Spectrum, 17 Apr. 2024
See All Example Sentences for unlovely
Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 12 Aug. 2025
The Bible teaches that God is Love – infinite and always available, with no unlovely or unloving element.
—Larissa Snorek, Christian Science Monitor, 16 May 2025
In so doing, the state has taken a wholly worthwhile cause — the cause of individual choice — and sullied it with an unlovely combination of hypocrisy and two-bit protectionism.
—The Editors, National Review, 7 May 2024
And this was something that goes by the very unlovely acronym of a BVLOS flight.
—IEEE Spectrum, 17 Apr. 2024
See All Example Sentences for unlovely
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unlovely
Adjective
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And since each state tax operates under its own often arcane rules, those costs can come as an unpleasant surprise.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2026
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His rhetoric is unpleasant and extreme enough that he could not get confirmed to a university board in Florida.—
Helen Lewis,
The Atlantic,
14 May 2026
Adjective
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Last year, the two teams met in London in an ugly 13-11 Denver win.—
Antwan Staley,
New York Daily News,
15 May 2026
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With respect to humor’s inherent subjectivity, the appallingly ugly aesthetics of the AI overwhelm any possible comedic sensibility on display.—
Vikram Murthi,
IndieWire,
15 May 2026
Adjective
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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
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Rosemary makes one of the best companion plants for apple trees because of its strong scent that's unpleasing to critters looking to snack on a juicy red apple.—
Ashlyn Needham,
The Spruce,
16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Any idea on when this hideous barcode-design strip will be released?—
Chris Waugh,
New York Times,
12 May 2026
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Such is a snarky line that Emily Blunt delivers as Emily Charlton in The Devil Wears Prada, a character who would rather faint than wear something hideous.—
Christian Allaire,
Vogue,
21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The scheme has been so successful, law enforcement has created a joint FBI-National Security Division task force to disrupt the operations and have dealt a series of harsh prison terms to American accomplices who have willingly aided the North Koreans.—
Amanda Gerut,
Fortune,
14 May 2026
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To fully embody her OnlyFans persona, an earthside alien named The Hungry Ghost, who offers mild nudity and harsh criticism of her willing subscribers’ genitalia.—
Alli Rosenbloom,
CNN Money,
14 May 2026
Adjective
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With this latest special, fans get a peek into Squirm's colorful yet grotesque world of goop, gore and guts.—
Lauren Giella,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 May 2026
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His facial injuries were grotesque, and twice the referee summoned the ringside doctor to have a look, but, to his credit, Wardley never looked for a way out.—
Chris McKenna,
New York Times,
9 May 2026
Adjective
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West Ham showed themselves to be a bad team, less than the sum of their parts and wholly ill-equipped for the challenge in front of them.—
George Caulkin,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
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Each reiteration and exaggeration of Mary’s bad behavior is another civic stroke of the chisel that perfects the monumental Lincoln in our collective imagination.—
Thomas Mallon,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
Adjective
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Drain Mats Kitchen sinks may be dirty, but your drain mat is downright nasty.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
15 May 2026
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But facing the Jaguars after the Chiefs and before the Rams is nasty business.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unlovely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unlovely. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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