unseemly 1 of 2

unseemly

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adverb

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective unseemly differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of unseemly are improper, indecorous, indelicate, and unbecoming. While all these words mean "not conforming to what is accepted as right, fitting, or in good taste," unseemly adds a suggestion of special inappropriateness to a situation or an offensiveness to good taste.

remarried with unseemly haste

When could improper be used to replace unseemly?

In some situations, the words improper and unseemly are roughly equivalent. However, improper applies to a broader range of transgressions of rules not only of social behavior but of ethical practice or logical procedure or prescribed method.

improper use of campaign contributions

When can indecorous be used instead of unseemly?

While in some cases nearly identical to unseemly, indecorous suggests a violation of accepted standards of good manners.

indecorous behavior

When would indelicate be a good substitute for unseemly?

The synonyms indelicate and unseemly are sometimes interchangeable, but indelicate implies a lack of modesty or of tact or of refined perception of feeling.

indelicate expressions for bodily functions

When is it sensible to use unbecoming instead of unseemly?

While the synonyms unbecoming and unseemly are close in meaning, unbecoming suggests behavior or language that does not suit one's character or status.

conduct unbecoming to an officer

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 unseemly
Adjective
This side of the financing world is competitive in its jostling for clients and can be a bit unseemly. Brendan Coffey, Sportico.com, 9 Oct. 2024 While the prospect of finishing Rust could feel unseemly, doing this is a Hollywood tradition. Reeves Wiedeman, Vulture, 12 July 2024
Adverb
Campaigning may be unseemly, but in an Oscar race where only five slots exist, presence can tilt the scales. Clayton Davis, Variety, 1 Sep. 2025 An extreme heat warning was in effect through Wednesday night in New Jersey counties outside New York City, and the mercury hit an unseemly 97 F (36 C) in Manhattan. Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 30 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for unseemly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unseemly
Adjective
  • The campaign slammed her words and accusations as inappropriate and untrue.
    Washington Examiner Staff, The Washington Examiner, 10 Oct. 2025
  • There were a small number of other inappropriate language complaints and of him being in a state of undress.
    Jake Kanter, Deadline, 10 Oct. 2025
Adverb
  • The students claimed Riscovallez would inappropriately touch them and give them gifts such as trading cards and candy, according to a press release from Leavenworth County Attorney Todd Thompson.
    Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 10 Oct. 2025
  • Eilish has spoken out in the past about fans behaving inappropriately at concerts.
    Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Financial promotion rules prevent inappropriate marketing to unsuitable investors.
    Boaz Sobrado, Forbes.com, 6 Oct. 2025
  • According to a study published in Nature Reviews Earth & Environment in 2024, up to 70% of current wine-producing regions could become unsuitable for growing grapes if global temperatures rise by more than 2°C above pre-industrial levels.
    Miguel A. Torres, Time, 3 Oct. 2025
Adverb
  • Odds are there's crumbs or improperly stored food that's caused the attraction, especially for ants and flies.
    Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 15 Oct. 2025
  • The complaint accuses Suarez of improperly using the city’s official seal and letterhead in an email criticizing Dominguez and of spending money to influence voters without following state laws that regulate campaign spending.
    Aaron Leibowitz, Miami Herald, 14 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • This violation falls under a broader category of improper passing rules, as a driver may not use the shoulder for passing.
    Anna Kleiber, jsonline.com, 13 Oct. 2025
  • Here are some signs to look for and how to fix improper watering to get your plant's health back on the right track.
    Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 12 Oct. 2025
Adverb
  • Every surreal interaction, every drab office, every incongruously adoring wife is another turn through the same loop.
    Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2025
  • Also incongruously quick for his size is Tustin junior defensive lineman Jeremiah Williams (6-1, 311).
    Steve Fryer, Oc Register, 12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Surely, that will rub some the wrong way, but the Tide have now beaten three teams that haven’t lost to anyone else in Georgia, Vanderbilt and Missouri.
    Ralph D. Russo, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025
  • The desire behind the making of the series was to right that wrong.
    Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 12 Oct. 2025
Adverb
  • Attorneys for wrongly deported Kilmar Abrego Garcia will be in court in Maryland on Friday for an evidentiary hearing in which government witnesses are expected to testify about the steps taken to remove him from the United States.
    Laura Romero, ABC News, 10 Oct. 2025
  • His quest for revenge plays with well with his political supporters, who believe he was wrongly targeted by the Biden administration and other Democrats, resulting in his 2024 conviction by a New York jury on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.
    Michael Collins, USA Today, 8 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Unseemly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unseemly. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.

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