unpropitious

adjective

Definition of unpropitiousnext
as in unfavorable

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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 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
  1. unfavorable
  2. unpromising
  3. discouraging
  4. disheartening
  5. hopeless
  6. cheerless
  7. dismal
  8. gloomy
Adjective
  • But using costly missiles against inexpensive drones can create an unfavorable exchange.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 25 July 2026
  • Organizations explain poor results by pointing to staffing shortages, difficult patients, unfavorable markets, or imperfect measures.
    — Basel Tarab, STAT, 22 July 2026
Definition of unfavorable
Adjective
  • 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
  • ADCs were once widely viewed as an unpromising technology, but Daiichi Sankyo’s success has revived interest and intensified competition across the industry.
    — PwC Consulting LLC Contributor, Forbes.com, 11 May 2026
Definition of unpromising
Adjective
  • Despite the discouraging landscape, recruiters and career experts say there are still ways for recent graduates to stand out.
    — Alyshia Hull, USA Today, 28 July 2026
  • Abigail Simon-Hart is all too familiar with these discouraging trends.
    — Durrie Bouscaren, NPR, 25 July 2026
Definition of discouraging
Adjective
  • Selina Wang, the lead author of the study, says the findings are particularly disheartening, as avocado oil products are often much more expensive than those made with olive or other vegetable oils.
    — Brittney Melton, NPR, 24 July 2026
  • That process repeats over and over and can be very disheartening to the team.
    — Peter Nelson, ArsTechnica, 10 July 2026
Definition of disheartening
Adjective
  • Echoing her sentiments, Shaharier remembered feeling hopeless when his baby boy was born so early.
    — Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 29 July 2026
  • Indeed, Russia’s mass barrages last winter of Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure – designed to keep Ukrainians cold, in the dark, and hopeless during the most frigid winter of recent years – are now being answered by Ukraine.
    — Scott Peterson, Christian Science Monitor, 28 July 2026
Definition of hopeless
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
  • The latest executive orders come as the president has faced dismal approval ratings in recent weeks, and the war in Iran has driven up energy prices.
    — Rena Rowe, The Washington Examiner, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Over the winter, the state’s snowpack topped out at a dismal, historic low.
    — Evan Bush, NBC news, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of dismal
Adjective
  • The narrative frame for the tour, Grande’s first since 2019, is a gloomy sci-fi conceit reminiscent of those of Perry’s and the Weeknd’s shows.
    — Mitch Therieau, New Yorker, 1 Aug. 2026
  • But the country, famed for its gloomy skies and persistent rain, is also having to deal with very wet weather.
    — Charlotte Reck, CNN Money, 30 July 2026
Definition of gloomy

Browse Nearby Words

unprompted
unpropitious
unprosperous
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Cite this Entry

“Unpropitious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unpropitious. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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