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

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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
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 Place unwashed strawberries in an open container lined with paper towels to absorb excess humidity for optimal storage. — Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 18 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
  • Achane will also go from a QB with one of the league’s highest checkdown rates to a QB with one of the lowest.
    — Jess Bryant, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
  • This week, Australian biotechnology company Mesolab announced that its Phase 3 trial of rexlemestrocel-L for chronic low back pain (CLBP) now moves beyond the patient-treatment stage.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 19 Aug. 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
  • This is where the irrationality of antisemitic conspiracy gains no purchase among a reasoning and pragmatic populace; where government is led by people who grasp, and embrace, the seriousness of their responsibilities.
    — Rory Lancman, New York Daily News, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Since the 1700s, Jamaica’s populace has been dominated by the descendants of African slaves.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of populace
Adjective
  • The duties cover products including alcohol, dairy goods, cement and even the humble hockey stick.
    — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Rooted in sustainable dining, Fallow’s approach is about elevating humble produce to thrilling new heights.
    — Paul Jebara, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of humble
Noun
  • Ukraine's drones have pummeled the giant depots belonging to Wildberries, Russia’s biggest online retailer, burning billions of dollars’ worth of merchandise and bringing the war home to the broad public.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Preconceptions, assumptions, and advance knowledge in the viewing public are regarded as impediments to the capacity of the tale to surprise, startle, or transport.
    — Peter Tonguette, The Washington Examiner, 15 Aug. 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
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Cite this Entry

“Unwashed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unwashed. Accessed 21 Aug. 2026.

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