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unwashed 1 of 2

adjective

ˌən-ˈwȯsht How to pronounce unwashed (audio)
Definition of unwashednext
as in low
belonging to the class of people of low social or economic rank a TV producer who knew what the unwashed masses wanted—and unhesitatingly gave it to them

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

unwashed

2 of 2

noun

as in masses
people looked down upon as ignorant and of the lowest class Aunt Edna was fond of snootily reminding us that we need not take our manners from the great unwashed

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 unwashed
Adjective
Keep unwashed produce separate from ready-to-eat foods and raw meat, poultry or seafood. — Jacqueline Howard, CNN Money, 15 July 2026 Simple issues—such as unwashed hands, test strip problems, or incorrect meter use—can sometimes lead to inaccurate results. — Karen Berger, Verywell Health, 30 June 2026 Kitchen utensils need to be washed well after coming in contact with uncooked meats, or unwashed fruits and vegetables. — Cara Lynn Shultz, PEOPLE, 30 June 2026 Optimize potato shelf life by removing the sprouts and storing them at 50°F—unwashed and not in direct light. — Aly Walansky, Southern Living, 29 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for unwashed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unwashed
  1. low
  2. rabble
  3. lumpen
  4. populace
  5. humble
  6. public
  7. plebeian
  8. proletariat
Adjective
  • Each team's lone victory this season came in blowout fashion over West Georgia of the lower-tier Football Championship Subdivision.
    — Michael Harley, Arkansas Online, 23 Sep. 2026
  • The result was a masterclass in color and texture worn with a high-low attitude.
    — Minty Mellon, Vogue, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of low
Noun
  • Abdul El-Sayed, a rabble-rousing populist and former public health official, just barely eked out a primary victory Tuesday in Michigan over a centrist rival who was the pick of Washington Democrats to keep a must-hold Senate seat.
    — Philip Elliott, Time, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Their tardiness, which saw the start delayed by half an hour, was continued on the field with India looking like a rabble in the face of the onslaught from Buttler and Brook.
    — Paul Newman, New York Times, 12 July 2026
Definition of rabble
Adjective
  • But the earlier dolls were crude, lumpen things, a cross between a beanbag and a sculpted potato.
    — Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
  • Yet Empire Falls translates into a lumpen, stodgy miniseries, despite a fine central performance from Harris as a divorced diner owner with deep roots in the town and a structure that allows the past to keep informing and enriching the present.
    — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 14 Apr. 2024
Definition of lumpen
Noun
  • The decision was ultimately reversed by a New York Supreme Court judge, on the grounds that Warren violated the populace’s religious liberties.
    — Clare Whitton, The Conversation, 17 Sep. 2026
  • The entire populace is beholden to Billy’s stepmom, Zoe Macon (Poorna Jagannathan), their resident Manhunter in hiding.
    — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of populace
Adjective
  • Ironically, the British school uniform has entirely humble origins.
    — Eva Wolchover, Vanity Fair, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Leather was made to feel more delicate, while other humble materials were guided by leather’s permanence and authority.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of humble
Noun
  • Despite communism’s collapse in 20th century Soviet bloc countries, the last decade has witnessed a surprising surge in interest in communism and socialism among the US public and journalists globally.
    — Luba Kassova, Fortune, 19 Sep. 2026
  • The challenges, some fear, are overwhelming for a system beloved by the American public and monumental for preserving America’s legacy and natural beauty.
    — Martin Goillandeau, CNN Money, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of public
Adjective
  • Linen and cotton, cooling garments, were too plebeian; the people posed nobly for street-style social-media accounts in leather jackets and low-slung jorts.
    — Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 27 June 2026
  • This one is about a regular old guy, a hedge knight in the plebeian population of Westeros, just trying to get by in a world that isn't kind to the common and poor.
    — Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 13 Jan. 2026
Definition of plebeian
Noun
  • All that loot pumped out of the Armenian proletariat, says the gaur, and for what.
    — Sean Williams, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
  • Severin, on the other hand, represents the revolutionary proletariat.
    — JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 16 Oct. 2025
Definition of proletariat

Browse Nearby Words

unwary
unwashed
unwatered
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unwashed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unwashed. Accessed 23 Sep. 2026.

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