unpopular

adjective

un·​pop·​u·​lar ˌən-ˈpä-pyə-lər How to pronounce unpopular (audio)
Synonyms of unpopularnext
: not popular : viewed or received unfavorably by the public
unpopularity
ˌən-ˌpä-pyə-ˈler-ə-tē How to pronounce unpopular (audio)
-ˈla-rə-
noun
unpopularly adverb

Examples of unpopular in a Sentence

I was unpopular in high school. Her third album has been unpopular with fans. Recent conflicts have made him unpopular among the staff.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Liberal prime ministers Pierre Trudeau and, decades later, his son Justin became deeply unpopular in the province over energy policy. — ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026 Companies pursuing restructuring, portfolio repositioning, margin-sacrificing technology investment or leadership resets often need time, control and room to make unpopular decisions. — Jeff Jacobs, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026 Emmanuel Macron, long the face of French neoliberalism, is leaving office very unpopular, and polls say voters are looking to the far left and right for his successor. — Jason Thurlkill, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026 Democrats are more than happy to draw those connections, pummeling their Republican rivals for standing by a president who is unpopular with so many voters. — Greg Bluestein, AJC.com, 15 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unpopular

Word History

First Known Use

1614, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unpopular was in 1614

Rhymes for unpopular

See All Rhymes for unpopular

Browse Nearby Words

unpope
unpopular
unpopulated
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unpopular.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unpopular. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

unpopular

adjective
un·​pop·​u·​lar ˌən-ˈpäp-yə-lər How to pronounce unpopular (audio)
ˈən-
: not popular : disliked by many people
unpopularity
ˌən-ˌpäp-yə-ˈlar-ət-ē How to pronounce unpopular (audio)
noun

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