UNPROPITIOUS Synonyms: 85 Similar and Opposite Words

unpropitious

adjective

Definition of unpropitious

as in unfavorable

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Example Sentences

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Recent Examples of unpropitious Handing the baton to Harris at this unpropitious time for Democrats is like Napoleon’s handing off his military command to Marshal Ney to conduct the disastrous French retreat from Moscow in 1812, featuring 500,000 French casualties. — Armstrong Williams, Baltimore Sun, 23 July 2024 The exhausted refugees are greeted by a functionary of the Relief Committee with the unpropitious nickname Statistics Babu. — Parul Sehgal, The New Yorker, 26 Dec. 2022 JoyFish sits in a strip mall in an unpropitious space that has seen several restaurants come and go. — Tan Vinh, The Seattle Times, 11 July 2017

Recent Examples of Synonyms for unpropitious

Adjective

French is seen as unfavorable by 32% of September poll’s respondents, an increase from the 14% of voters who saw him as unfavorable when surveyed in late July.

— Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Sep. 2026
But for those of us who adore the 1995 film, unfavorable comparisons seem inevitable.

— David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of unfavorable

Adjective

From those unpromising beginnings, Ondaatje found, in his writing, newness and, in language, a certain freedom.

— Amitava Kumar, New Yorker, 19 Aug. 2026
The surprising discovery awaiting us below the thicket of its atmosphere has quashed the notion that worlds far from the Sun are unpromising destinations in the search for life-supporting environments.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 May 2026

Definition of unpromising

Adjective

Amid disheartening and disruptive school closures and thousands of position cuts districts have been forced to implement due to million-dollar budget shortfalls, vacancies have continued to climb.

— Andrew Spar, Sun Sentinel, 24 Aug. 2026
This has been especially disheartening because the strategy and RPG elements the series is known for have so far been excellent.

— Jay Peters, The Verge, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of disheartening

Adjective

The storm let up before daybreak, but the morning was gray and cheerless with a cold wind.

— Elwyn "Bud" Myers, Outdoor Life, 11 Mar. 2026
Gomez gestured across the street toward 100 Centre Street—the criminal courthouse, a cheerless Art Deco building the color of cinder blocks.

— Sarah Lustbader, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2025

Definition of cheerless

Adjective

Perhaps, with opinion polls signaling a seismic snap in the other direction and economic conditions on the Great Plains so dismal, the Republican hold on rural America is loosening.

— Kyle Paoletta, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026
Following a dismal 26-14 divisional loss to the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, Herbert's stock is officially sliding.

— Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of dismal

Adjective

The Kremlin’s tall order Russians are no doubt entering the vote feeling gloomy about the country’s prospects.

— Regina Smyth, The Conversation, 16 Sep. 2026
Even worse, the wing screens — the big digital screens mounted at the base of the F50’s wingsail — were fizzling out with the excess water torrenting out of the gloomy Sassnitz sky.

— Andrew Rice, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of gloomy

Browse Nearby Words

unprompted

unpropitious

unprosperous

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

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Synonyms of unpropitious

adjective

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