UNPOPULAR Synonyms: 58 Similar and Opposite Words

unpopular

adjective

Definition of unpopular

as in unrecognized

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

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 unpopular The first and most urgent task will be ending the Iran war, a reckless and unpopular conflict that has become even less popular as Americans have felt its effects on their wallets. — Matthew Duss, Foreign Affairs, 6 Nov. 2026 Now many have blamed the party’s midterm losses on the war, which drove up energy prices around the world and became increasingly unpopular with Americans. — Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 5 Nov. 2026 Trump is historically unpopular and the midterms have shown quite conclusively that Republicans will pay no penalty for, and may even benefit from, going along with investigations into the administration. — New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 5 Nov. 2026 And amid the president's unpopular war with Iran and high gas prices, Whatley's closeness to the president did not appear to help the GOP's chances in the Tar Heel State. — Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 4 Nov. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unpopular

Recent Examples of Synonyms for unpopular

Adjective

Along with the ability to manage registries and lists, Alexa for Shopping can now update your delivery instructions, answer billing questions about unrecognized charges and refunds, as well as pause and change recurring deliveries.

— Emma Roth, The Verge, 29 Oct. 2026
The possibility other unrecognized groups will try to follow suit.

— Jason Motlagh, Rolling Stone, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of unrecognized

Adjective

One of the state’s biggest roadblocks to new data centers could be determined by the as yet unknown Alaskan Midterms results.

— Oliver Trapnell, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Nov. 2026
Cybergenetics isolated the unknown person’s genotypes from each DNA sample and compared them to determine whether the cases were connected.

— Maria Aguilar Prieto, CNN Money, 8 Nov. 2026

Definition of unknown

Adjective

Trust me, having Charlie as a de facto concierge is one of the biggest unsung perks of booking a stay here.

— Sarah James, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Nov. 2026
Davis, a foster parent, was appointed in 2023 to the bipartisan Illinois Department of Children and Family Services Working Group, and is focused on family welfare issues and ideas to improve DCFS, a worthy and unsung focus.

— The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of unsung

Adjective

No one talks about affordability Why a relative no-name challenger was able to out-raise an incumbent likely has to do with how Colom focused on wages, costs, hospitals and jobs—and how inflation was eating away at people’s stagnant earnings.

— Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 6 Nov. 2026
There are thousands of wrestlers across the globe hoping to make a name for themselves and transform themselves from a no-name jobber into a star that is recognized by everyone.

— Ryan Gaydos OutKick, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of no-name

Adjective

The pope is, among many other things, an American baby boomer who, earlier this summer, referenced in a footnote in a treatise on peace a Dylan lyric so obscure that not even Padgett had ever heard of it.

— Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 6 Nov. 2026
From star lender to seized bank Ueno Bank, which skyrocketed from an obscure finance company to a household name in less than five years, claimed more than 60% of Paraguay’s adults as customers.

— Isabel Debre, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of obscure

Adjective

Within an hour of searching the park, the city’s largest, police had found the body of a woman as well, this one in an advanced state of decomposition, leaving her unrecognizable.

— Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN Money, 5 Nov. 2026
The right room compounds in your favor until one day your life is unrecognizable.

— Chad Willardson, Forbes.com, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of unrecognizable

Adjective

Both help make the case that unfamous people, in all their honesty and complexity, are as worthy of our attention as celebrities.

— Judy Berman, Time, 11 Aug. 2026
Early in his career, Tillmans began shooting for the British street style magazine i-D, creating portraits of the famous and unfamous, while also documenting club life and gay culture.

— Steve Appleford, Los Angeles Times, 17 Feb. 2026

Definition of unfamous

Browse Nearby Words

unpolluted

unpopular

unpopularity

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Unpopular.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unpopular. Accessed 10 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of unpopular

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

defer

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

31 Useful Rhetorical Devices

More Commonly Misspelled Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Popular in Wordplay

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes