as in inappropriate
marked by an obvious lack of style or good taste
chose a bizarrely unstylish hairstyle for the Halloween party
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Recent Examples of unstylish
But while practical, it’s understated enough for everyday wear without making your outfits look frumpy or unstylish.
—
Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 3 Dec. 2025
Only this time, Trump’s ambush was far more clearly choreographed, and thus somewhat less unstylish.
—Jonny Steinberg, Time, 22 May 2025
The sequences in which the crew shoots the movie also provide some of the most memorable technical flourishes for a film that’s largely sturdy and relatively unstylish, and Saleh has a bit of fun staging his tense thriller on some cheap looking soundstages.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 19 May 2025
The piece is an antique that wasn't fashionable for many decades, but many jewels once considered fussy or unstylish have now been embraced again.
—Stephanie Petit, Peoplemag, 8 Dec. 2023
Slippery soles, cold toes, and unstylish footwear should be avoided at all costs.
—Roxanne Adamiyatt, Town & Country, 29 Dec. 2022
Hearing aids aren't cool: From Bluetooth capabilities to jewelry and charms, Dorn hopes to bust the myth that hearing aids are unstylish.
—Sara M Moniuszko, USA TODAY, 27 Sep. 2022
The alternative of using a single mirror would require a thick lens—resulting in bulky, unstylish AR glasses.
—Ari Grobman, Forbes, 19 July 2022
Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 3 Dec. 2025
Only this time, Trump’s ambush was far more clearly choreographed, and thus somewhat less unstylish.
—Jonny Steinberg, Time, 22 May 2025
The sequences in which the crew shoots the movie also provide some of the most memorable technical flourishes for a film that’s largely sturdy and relatively unstylish, and Saleh has a bit of fun staging his tense thriller on some cheap looking soundstages.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 19 May 2025
The piece is an antique that wasn't fashionable for many decades, but many jewels once considered fussy or unstylish have now been embraced again.
—Stephanie Petit, Peoplemag, 8 Dec. 2023
Slippery soles, cold toes, and unstylish footwear should be avoided at all costs.
—Roxanne Adamiyatt, Town & Country, 29 Dec. 2022
Hearing aids aren't cool: From Bluetooth capabilities to jewelry and charms, Dorn hopes to bust the myth that hearing aids are unstylish.
—Sara M Moniuszko, USA TODAY, 27 Sep. 2022
The alternative of using a single mirror would require a thick lens—resulting in bulky, unstylish AR glasses.
—Ari Grobman, Forbes, 19 July 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unstylish
Adjective
-
In a recent speech, Thomas tied the nation’s highest ideals to a conservative vision of limited government — and launched a broadside on progressivism seen by critics as unfair and inappropriate.—
Lindsay Whitehurst,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
-
The complaint mentioned that the head coach had maintained an inappropriate relationship with a UAB student-athlete, which included the coach allegedly sleeping at the player's residence on different occasions.—
Trey Wallace OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
In The Devil Wears Prada 2, Novak stars as the unfashionable businessman Jay Ravitz.—
Jack Smart,
PEOPLE,
6 May 2026
-
Gilberto and Kleberson formed an unfashionable midfield duo largely unknown outside Brazil.—
Michael Cox,
New York Times,
15 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The team found that several 2D materials praised for their electronic properties may become unsuitable once they are built into real devices.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Lara’s pre-operative test results were abnormal, and revealed clear signs of keratoconus, making LASIK unsuitable.—
Jessica Alvarado Gamez,
Denver Post,
17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The part where there's a problem is the FIFA president spreading incorrect information about ticket prices while standing to benefit a great deal from higher costs.—
Dan Zaksheske OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
6 May 2026
-
Low-quality over-the-counter (OTC) products, incorrect dose, or decreased absorption can be a few reasons.—
Ayesha Gulzar,
Verywell Health,
6 May 2026
Adjective
-
Kudrow plays Valerie Cherish playing Aunt Sassy, a dowdy sidekick character.—
Michael Schulman,
New Yorker,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Memorably dowdy fashion notwithstanding, the juicy role — part Nurse Ratched, part Jack Torrance — launched Bates into the Hollywood ether following years of false starts.—
Darren Franich,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Wallace and her collaborators scrambled to get into the water; the whale was swimming in the wrong direction, toward some docks.—
Jessica Camille Aguirre,
New Yorker,
2 May 2026
-
What most people get wrong is conflating the theme of the exhibition with the dress code for the evening.—
José Criales-Unzueta,
Vanity Fair,
2 May 2026
Adjective
-
Haines’ dynamic vocals often bail out the more inelegant lyrics.—
Ethan Beck,
Pitchfork,
4 May 2026
-
This strikes me as an inelegant way to write Tommy off the show, if that’s indeed what’s happening.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Unfortunately, these big swings can easily tip into a kitchen that looks more tacky than refined.—
Ashley Chalmers,
The Spruce,
30 Apr. 2026
-
The bronzed skin is tacky with the bird’s own fat and sugars, and beautifully caramelized along every ridge.—
Jenn Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unstylish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unstylish. Accessed 10 May. 2026.
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