1
as in distasteful
disagreeable or disgusting to the sense of taste
an unsavory blend of spices that simply overwhelmed the fish's delicate flavor
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in immoral
not conforming to a high moral standard; morally unacceptable
unsavory doings that ruined the couple's good name in the community
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in unpleasant
not giving pleasure to the mind or senses
hated the whole unsavory business of firing people
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in bland
lacking in taste or flavor
the unsavory food dished up at the rest area's restaurant should be consumed only by the truly desperate
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unsavory
Just the same, this was some unsavory stuff from a team that began the season in Brazil with Reid chastising his players for their effort in an opening loss to the Chargers.
—
Kansas City Star, 21 Dec. 2025
There are clashing timelines involved here that make the unsavory appear routine, just as there are in most aspects of college football.
—Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 2 Dec. 2025
And over the years, governments have occasionally excused instances of discrimination and unsavory practices so long as they are rooted in religious belief.
—Kristen Martin, New Yorker, 23 Nov. 2025
Or does Lux ask us to crane our necks to appreciate base human longing that presents in ecstatic and horrific manifestations, in the hunger for all sorts of holy and unsavory connections?
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 7 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unsavory
Kansas City Star, 21 Dec. 2025
There are clashing timelines involved here that make the unsavory appear routine, just as there are in most aspects of college football.
—Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 2 Dec. 2025
And over the years, governments have occasionally excused instances of discrimination and unsavory practices so long as they are rooted in religious belief.
—Kristen Martin, New Yorker, 23 Nov. 2025
Or does Lux ask us to crane our necks to appreciate base human longing that presents in ecstatic and horrific manifestations, in the hunger for all sorts of holy and unsavory connections?
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 7 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unsavory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unsavory
Adjective
-
When late-night comedian Jimmy Kimmel made a distasteful comment on ABC that seemed to blame the right for Kirk’s killing, Disney, the network’s parent company, gave in to pressure to take Kimmel off the air.—
Michelle Goldberg,
Mercury News,
30 Dec. 2025
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China would expect something in return, of course, including concessions that some in Europe may consider distasteful, such as a pledge by NATO to no longer formally cooperate with East Asian partners.—
Matthias Matthijs,
Foreign Affairs,
12 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
In addition to being immoral, CFA’s support for BDS likely violates state law, AB 2844, which prohibits California from contracting with entities that engage in discrimination, including against Jews or Israelis.—
Mark Pinkert,
Oc Register,
23 Dec. 2025
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The film follows the deliciously immoral, widowed Lady Susan Vernon (Kate Beckinsale), who maneuvers, deceives and seduces her way through London and across her relatives' country estates in an effort to find a wealthy husband for herself and her daughter, Frederica (Morfydd Clark).—
Andrea Wurzburger,
PEOPLE,
29 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Using a speaker outside the stall results in reverb and echoing as the music bounces around the bathroom walls, making the sound muddy and unpleasant.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Jan. 2026
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Given the lack of gravity, even a runny nose can turn into an extremely unpleasant experience, forcing astronauts to resort to unusual measures just to drain mucus from their nasal passages.—
Victor Tangermann,
Futurism,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
But aside from calling for some bland common sense regulations that should be uncontroversial to any sane person, Roher doesn’t attempt to make anyone agree with him.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
27 Jan. 2026
-
After repeating this loop, the researchers ended up with a bland image of a formal interior space – no people, no drama, no real sense of time and place.—
Ahmed Elgammal,
Fortune,
22 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Flowers are pasted all over it, seemingly at random, and strings of them fall off the hem in an unappetizing way.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
3 Jan. 2026
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How to Get More Walnuts Into Your Diet If eating a handful of raw walnuts is unappetizing, there are countless ways to add walnuts to your diet—from topping salads and oatmeal, blending them in a smoothie, or roasting them for a healthy snack.—
Maggie O'Neill,
Verywell Health,
12 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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The unlawful taking of items from a machine or device that is operated or activated by the use of coins.—
Baltimore Sun staff,
Baltimore Sun,
30 Jan. 2026
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Mississippi officials have argued that the state law is not preempted, while the RNC has urged the high court to strike down the Magnolia State’s law, along with similar ones in other states, as unlawful.—
Jack Birle,
The Washington Examiner,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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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
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His side's inability to finish off the game against Burnley on the other hand was very unpleasing.—
SI.com,
SI.com,
1 Feb. 2018
Adjective
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Once markets started moving lower, thin liquidity intensified such price movements, according to several analysts who provided input for this article.—
Charles Lloyd Bovaird II,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
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Brush top of crust with egg, then sprinkle remaining ⅓ cup sliced almonds over in a thin layer.—
Jesse Szewczyk,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unsavory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unsavory. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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