disreputable

adjective

(ˌ)dis-ˈre-pyə-tə-bəl How to pronounce disreputable (audio)
Definition of disreputablenext
as in notorious
not respectable a disreputable Internet retailer that had a record of hundreds of complaints for shoddy merchandise and slow refunds

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 disreputable Thatcher’s Elle is trying to reconnect with her disreputable father while battling an evil stepmother and trying to avoid a brutal serial killer. — The Week Us, TheWeek, 27 July 2026 Methanol is sometimes added to mixed drinks at disreputable bars as a cheaper alternative to ethanol, but can cause severe poisoning or death. — ABC News, 17 July 2026 The cultural shift that turned horror cinema from a disreputable, rarely respected grind-house film genre into a billion-dollar-a-year mainstream business has done wonders for the genre’s overall quality. — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 29 May 2026 After Kent’s resignation, Republican hawks denounced him as a kook and a traitor to the cause, without touching on the delicate question of why Trump appointed such a disreputable figure in the first place. — Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for disreputable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disreputable
  1. notorious
  2. infamous
  3. shady
  4. criminal
  5. immoral
Adjective
  • Chicago has Back of the Yards, once adjacent to its notorious stockyards and not that far from Bubbly Creek, where methane and hydrogen sulfide gas once caused the South Fork of the Chicago River to make like a hot tub.
    — Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Disqualified is being presented at the MIA Market in Rome today as a TV drama inspired by one of real-life events surrounding Finland’s most notorious sporting scandals.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of notorious
Adjective
  • His pathetic, dangerous charade reminds me of an infamous voter fraud case from 30 years ago.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Disney+ and Hulu have greenlit a reboot of Ryan Murphy‘s famous (and infamous) musical dramedy series.
    — Selome Hailu, Variety, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of infamous
Adjective
  • Many shady electronics companies are happy to sell you the wrong component for the wrong price.
    — Tim Stevens, ArsTechnica, 19 Oct. 2026
  • The fake image was attention-grabbing, shady, and timely — in other words, perfect for social media virality but a potential liability for the parties involved.
    — Mia Sato, The Verge, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of shady
Adjective
  • The police spokesperson said Perez was taken into custody without incident and charged with menacing and criminal possession of a weapon.
    — Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2026
  • The leader of one of Haiti’s most powerful criminal organizations said the Salvadorans were killed in territory controlled by Chen Mechan, an allied gang.
    — Widlore Mérancourt, Washington Post, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of criminal
Adjective
  • Convince people that an innocent person represents an existential threat, furnish them with a frightening conspiracy theory about an immoral enemy, and some may become willing to kill.
    — Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 27 Oct. 2026
  • In those cases, your cause is so just that you are warranted to be immoral in protecting it.
    — Jordi Graupera, New Yorker, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of immoral

Browse Nearby Words

disrepairs
disreputable
disreputableness
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Disreputable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disreputable. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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