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unlovely

adjective

ˌən-ˈləv-lē How to pronounce unlovely (audio)
Definition of unlovelynext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ugly
unpleasant to look at an unlovely but efficient little machine

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 unlovely Now the future is here, a hulking mass on an unlovely corner at the border of Hollywood and West Hollywood, surrounded by luxury apartments and empty lots. — Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 22 Sep. 2025 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 See All Example Sentences for unlovely
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unlovely
  1. unpleasant
  2. ugly
  3. unpleasing
  4. hideous
  5. harsh
  6. grotesque
  7. bad
  8. nasty
Adjective
  • For people without underlying risk factors, COVID infections are not outright dangerous but remain deeply unpleasant, Guest and Chin-Hong say.
    — Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Over time, the dog may start to associate the unpleasant noise with the barking and stop.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of unpleasant
Adjective
  • Not many filmmakers can create something where moments as ugly as Billy’s scatological lectures coexist so elegantly with moments of honest longing and tragedy (and, in one or two moments, tentative hope).
    — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 17 Sep. 2026
  • The hate being lobbed at Sheeran is also an unpleasant reminder of the extreme and ugly bullying tactics of the online left.
    — Sean Woods, Rolling Stone, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of ugly
Adjective
  • The identity of the unpleasing Lindsay Marriott’s slayer has no pressing interest.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 July 2026
  • 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
Definition of unpleasing
Adjective
  • Another reason to feel supreme confidence in this team’s juggernaut potential is that Chicago’s defense appears to be just as hideous as the fantasy community had hoped.
    — Andy Behrens, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Three seconds later, I was surrounded by hideous monsters who were probably nice kids before the local NBC news devoted the feature story on their prime-time show Weekend to an in-depth study of English punk.
    — Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of hideous
Adjective
  • The video, and Ovechkin’s subsequent statements, have sparked harsh criticism in Europe, the United States and Canada, which is part of the NHL.
    — Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Beyond biological and nuclear threats, AI companies face harsh organizational incentives to develop AI even faster and — experts say — more recklessly.
    — Jared Perlo, NBC news, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of harsh
Adjective
  • Increasingly grotesque and comical horror-flick kills are one of the elements that distinguish Amazon’s Reacher series from the pair of Tom Cruise–starring features adapted from Lee Child’s novels previously.
    — Chris Klimek, Vulture, 16 Sep. 2026
  • So grotesque that even the DP and the focus puller were disturbed.
    — Ritesh Mehta, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of grotesque
Adjective
  • The term, once confined to technical science papers, has gripped Silicon Valley, steered trillions of dollars in investment and fanned fears of human displacement, or worse.
    — George Musser, Scientific American, 17 Sep. 2026
  • That’s cool that people (liked it), but that’s bad ball security.
    — Taylor Eldridge, Kansas City Star, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of bad
Adjective
  • Back then, researchers were focused on eradicating the New World screwworm, a nasty pest that lays its eggs in wounds on living creatures.
    — Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Paul and Matthews have been embroiled in a nasty social media feud that sparked after ABC pulled The Bachelorette season 22.
    — Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of nasty

Browse Nearby Words

unloveliness
unlovely
unloving
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unlovely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unlovely. Accessed 23 Sep. 2026.

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