1
as in unpleasant
not giving pleasure to the mind or senses
an unpleasing combination of flavors in the dish
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ugly
unpleasant to look at
an unpleasing combination of fuchsia and orange
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unpleasing
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
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
Smears on non-sensor areas of the tiara are like bug debris on your hood, aesthetically unpleasing but not harmful.
—Eric Tegler, Popular Mechanics, 1 Oct. 2019
His side's inability to finish off the game against Burnley on the other hand was very unpleasing.
—SI.com, 1 Feb. 2018
Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 7 Apr. 2026
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
Smears on non-sensor areas of the tiara are like bug debris on your hood, aesthetically unpleasing but not harmful.
—Eric Tegler, Popular Mechanics, 1 Oct. 2019
His side's inability to finish off the game against Burnley on the other hand was very unpleasing.
—SI.com, 1 Feb. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unpleasing
Adjective
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The dusty chocolate coating is bitter and unpleasant, and there isn’t enough salt to offset it.—
Alex Beggs,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
25 Apr. 2026
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Some of it has been very unpleasant for me and many others, especially those who look like me.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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As their mutual competitiveness grows shockingly ugly, Niall learns to turn Ruben’s Samsonian strength and fury against him, knocking down the pillars of Ruben’s own life.—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2026
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Rudy Gobert followed his inspired Game 2 effort against Nikola Jokic by stifling the three-time MVP again on an ugly 7-for-26 shooting night, and the Timberwolves established a postseason franchise record by allowing the Nuggets just 11 points in the tone-setting first quarter.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The idea is to use places, such as Antarctica and space, as real-world testbeds where technologies can be proven under genuinely harsh conditions, like extreme cold, isolation, limited logistics, and high system reliability requirements.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
23 Apr. 2026
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And scientists that have been working on the data have been able to pinpoint that maybe that was the cause of a very harsh winter over Europe that happened in 2010.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The two hideous games between the Lakers and Rockets will likely come to mind relatively quickly, but the trend has been greater than just one series.—
John Hollinger,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 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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Its 28-game start matches the expansion 1962 Mets — who lost 120 games — along with 1964 and 1983 for the second-worst in team history behind an 8-20 opening in 1981.—
Ronald Blum,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
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Ossai isn’t a bad pass rusher either, getting five sacks in each of the last two seasons, a total that somehow would’ve ranked second on the Jets last season.—
Zack Rosenblatt,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Cuba is miserable, and to travel there without noticing the misery is grotesque all by itself.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
24 Apr. 2026
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Suddenly, the Academy found itself getting beaten up on social media as yet another grotesque example of Hollywood’s wasteful ways.—
Kirsten Chuba,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unpleasing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unpleasing. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
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