unlovely

adjective

ˌən-ˈləv-lē How to pronounce unlovely (audio)
Definition of unlovelynext
1
as in unpleasant
not giving pleasure to the mind or senses Sunday night is often spoiled by the unlovely thought of having to go back to school or work the next morning

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ugly
unpleasant to look at an unlovely but efficient little machine

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 unlovely Now the future is here, a hulking mass on an unlovely corner at the border of Hollywood and West Hollywood, surrounded by luxury apartments and empty lots. — Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 22 Sep. 2025 It was supposed to belong to no other region, a geographic leftover to which the unlovely work of government could be relegated. — Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 12 Aug. 2025 The Bible teaches that God is Love – infinite and always available, with no unlovely or unloving element. — Larissa Snorek, Christian Science Monitor, 16 May 2025 In so doing, the state has taken a wholly worthwhile cause — the cause of individual choice — and sullied it with an unlovely combination of hypocrisy and two-bit protectionism. — The Editors, National Review, 7 May 2024 See All Example Sentences for unlovely
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unlovely
  1. unpleasant
  2. ugly
  3. unpleasing
  4. hideous
  5. harsh
  6. grotesque
  7. bad
  8. nasty
Adjective
  • From a computational perspective, Friston argues, attempting to reduce uncertainty—basically, working to avoid unpleasant surprises—is the brain’s primary goal.
    — Maia Szalavitz, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Adapted by Duffield and Daniel Kraus from Kraus’ 2023 novel, this spectacularly unpleasant underwater adventure delivers on its premise with effects that are graphic, fascinating, and occasionally beautiful.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of unpleasant
Adjective
  • My right pants leg was gone and among the smaller cuts an ugly gash puckered at me from the calf.
    — Gerald R. Hunter, Outdoor Life, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The first attempts at a foldable smartphone in the 2010s from other companies tended to be fragile and not all that useful, with a big, ugly crease in the center interrupting the experience.
    — Andrew R. Chow, Time, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of ugly
Adjective
  • The identity of the unpleasing Lindsay Marriott’s slayer has no pressing interest.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 July 2026
  • The remarks not only referred to the aesthetics of the game – tedious matches devoid of skillful merit that were unpleasing to watch.
    — Cesar R. Torres, The Conversation, 26 May 2026
Definition of unpleasing
Adjective
  • Alabama has been busily demonstrating that the reverse is true, following a string of hideous botched lethal injection executions with a series of no less gruesome executions with nitrogen suffocation.
    — Maya Foa, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026
  • But then comes the ad, a full-screen photo of a hideous brown leather recliner.
    — Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, The Verge, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of hideous
Adjective
  • And now those still left in the battered city along Ukraine's southeastern front face death from hunger or disease as another harsh winter looms, with no agreement in sight for even a humanitarian evacuation.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Despite low winds and little rain, harsh surf continues to wreak havoc along Southern California's coastal communities.
    — Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC news, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of harsh
Adjective
  • Accordingly, many modern-day interlocutors of cringe are infatuated with the grotesque performative contortions required by life as a woman.
    — Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Originally hailed as her hero, when the grotesque truth comes out about Rodney's role in the break-in, a police investigation reveals a tangled web of lies.
    — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of grotesque
Adjective
  • Bajaria may also have hit thin ice with Sarandos after the streamer won just 16 Primetime Emmy Awards this year — its worst showing since 2016 and down from 30 in 2025.
    — Matt Donnelly, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The size of the boat, the distance from the tow boat's berth and how bad the boat is stuck will all factor into the final invoice.
    — Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of bad
Adjective
  • The polls still show a close-range contest, but in the increasingly nasty ad war, the spending suggests a far more lopsided fight.
    — Philip Elliott, Time, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Officers then cuffed the youngster as he was loaded into an ambulance and hospitalized for a fractured femur and a nasty bruise on his head, according to the lawsuit, which was filed by the teen’s dad, Mahmoud Saleh, in Brooklyn Federal Court.
    — John Annese, New York Daily News, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of nasty

Browse Nearby Words

unloveliness
unlovely
unloving
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Cite this Entry

“Unlovely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unlovely. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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