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
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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
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unsavory
The recent document dump exposed the depth of ties between Mountbatten-Windsor and Epstein, revealing more unsavory details that have jolted the royal family, including an allegation that the former prince sent trade reports to Epstein in 2010.
—
Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
Layoff announcements hit an unsavory milestone in January Mass layoffs outlined last month by the likes of Amazon and UPS made for the worst January for job cut announcements since the Great Recession, new data showed Thursday.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 5 Feb. 2026
Still other unsavory details have emerged.
—Anna Russell, New Yorker, 27 Jan. 2026
The Assistant is pretty much a straight shooter and doesn’t seem haywire or unsavory.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unsavory
Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
Layoff announcements hit an unsavory milestone in January Mass layoffs outlined last month by the likes of Amazon and UPS made for the worst January for job cut announcements since the Great Recession, new data showed Thursday.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 5 Feb. 2026
Still other unsavory details have emerged.
—Anna Russell, New Yorker, 27 Jan. 2026
The Assistant is pretty much a straight shooter and doesn’t seem haywire or unsavory.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unsavory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unsavory
Adjective
-
And really not detract from that with a distasteful joke.—
Drake Bentley,
jsonline.com,
25 Feb. 2026
-
The British, having escaped German occupation, could still indulge in military pomp; elsewhere in Western Europe, martial pride and overt patriotism were distasteful reminders of a dark past.—
Ian Buruma,
New Yorker,
23 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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So when it is already known that ICE actually carries out unlawful violations of the Constitution as per state and federal court rulings, government employees are being set up to be intimidated to serve as accomplices to unlawful, not to mention immoral, behavior.—
Tony Lux,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Feb. 2026
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The annual analysis compares all 50 states across 54 measures tied to immoral or illicit behavior, from violent crimes per capita and excessive drinking to gambling disorders.—
Alexis Simmerman,
Austin American Statesman,
25 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
But blackouts have become an unpleasant routine.—
Israel Melendez Ayala,
Time,
28 Feb. 2026
-
Standing water, combined with food residue, can create unpleasant odors.—
Jessica Safavimehr,
Southern Living,
27 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
This one came off bland, with a sauce that bordered on soupy rather than creamy.—
Sam Stone,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
4 Mar. 2026
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Ratmansky, by contrast, earnestly turns this light but pointed farce into a bland American morality tale.—
Jennifer Homans,
New Yorker,
2 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
But, to her, the idea of leaving a review was unappetizing.—
James Doubek,
NPR,
26 Feb. 2026
-
When Steve turns out to be more Hannibal Lecter than Prince Charming, their relationship takes an unappetizing turn.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
21 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Peters became a figure whose actions were not just unlawful but emblematic of broader threats to democratic norms.—
Doug Friednash,
Denver Post,
6 Mar. 2026
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By sanctioning an unlawful deal, the government has created a legal impediment to petitioners' financial recovery.—
Scott MacFarlane,
CBS News,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
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
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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
Adjective
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Physicists at The University of Texas at Austin have experimentally confirmed a decades-old theory describing how magnetism behaves in ultra-thin materials.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Mar. 2026
-
Griffler’s plane towed us high above the foothills on a thin gray rope.—
Burkhard Bilger,
New Yorker,
2 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unsavory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unsavory. Accessed 7 Mar. 2026.
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