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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 10 Jan. 2025
For their efforts, the scientists found that ice has a much harder time sticking to unwashed, greasy polar bear hair than to oily human hair.
—Sara Hashemi, Smithsonian Magazine, 31 Jan. 2025
Here the West is unwashed — muddy, bloody, cold and mean.
—Alexis Soloski, New York Times, 3 Jan. 2025
Prepare your equipment There’s almost nothing worse than going on a romantic date with your partner, perhaps for some tacos, only to get down to business later and accidentally burn them with your spicy, unwashed hands.
—Quispe López, Them, 14 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unwashed
Adjective
Bacteria on the outside of unwashed produce can transfer to the edible parts when peeled or sliced.
—Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 10 Jan. 2025
For their efforts, the scientists found that ice has a much harder time sticking to unwashed, greasy polar bear hair than to oily human hair.
—Sara Hashemi, Smithsonian Magazine, 31 Jan. 2025
Here the West is unwashed — muddy, bloody, cold and mean.
—Alexis Soloski, New York Times, 3 Jan. 2025
Prepare your equipment There’s almost nothing worse than going on a romantic date with your partner, perhaps for some tacos, only to get down to business later and accidentally burn them with your spicy, unwashed hands.
—Quispe López, Them, 14 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unwashed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unwashed
Adjective
-
Abarth is low cost, high return and should be encouraged.—
Mark Phelan,
USA Today,
20 May 2025
-
And then there was the low: Abel’s debut came because Aaron Nola went on the IL.—
Ken Rosenthal,
New York Times,
19 May 2025
Adjective
-
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
-
Rhys spent decades, often isolated and paranoid, in lumpen houses and apartments in and out of London, before success arrived late.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
20 June 2022
Noun
-
There was little-to-no doubt Jurgen Klopp’s side were going to defeat Ralf Rangnick’s under-interim-management rabble that day.—
Carl Anka,
The Athletic,
4 Jan. 2025
-
Advertisement From start to finish, pure madness, amid a rabble that never calmed, never quieted, never quit.—
Bill Plaschke,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Oct. 2024
Adjective
-
Netflix 19 of 20 A Tale of Two Kitchens (2019) The modest length of this short — which clocks in at 30 minutes — reflects its humble attitude.—
Katie Rife,
EW.com,
11 May 2025
-
Flatten It Out Sea turtles don't have much mobility on land, and even the humblest sand structure can be a major obstacle to nesting females making their way across the sand or to hatchlings heading back toward the water.—
Katie Akin,
Southern Living,
10 May 2025
Noun
-
Most of the initiatives looked good on paper but were largely ignored by the populace.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
10 May 2025
-
No one can say for sure how this is going to affect the populace on a near-term and long-term basis.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Below that sits the pedestrian CLK 500 and plebeian CLK 350.—
Jeremy Korzeniewski,
Robb Report,
26 Feb. 2025
-
Across the lake, on the plebeian side, up the shoreline a mile or so, in the heart of downtown West Palm Beach, stand twin 32-story towers dubbed Trump Plaza of the Palm Beaches.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
8 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
But the American public is bound to be particularly sensitive to the functioning of our transportation infrastructure.—
Michael Hiltzik,
Los Angeles Times,
20 May 2025
-
The idea has drawn some criticism, including the observation that the U.S. public has been getting along just fine all these years without such an advocate.—
Robert Goulder,
Forbes.com,
19 May 2025
Noun
-
As is the case with the aesthetics of people, exquisite lines can be found on patrician and proletariat cars alike.—
Robert Ross,
Robb Report,
21 Feb. 2025
-
Inspired by Karl Marx, the Bolsheviks dreamed of a world communist revolution and held special expectations for Germany, Marx’s homeland, and for its proletariat.—
Michael Kimmage,
Foreign Affairs,
19 June 2023
Cite this Entry
“Unwashed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unwashed. Accessed 24 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share