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 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 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 The nonprofit was founded in 2008 in order to transform scaffolding, construction fencing, and other unlovely temporary urban spaces into canvases for public art. — Leigh Anne Miller, ARTnews.com, 15 Apr. 2026 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
  • Alas, Ligeti proved to be an extraordinarily difficult collaborator, his manic perfectionism colliding with practical reality and leading to unpleasant scenes.
    — Alex Ross, New Yorker, 29 June 2026
  • The consequences are unpleasant, but can also turn dangerous very quickly as body temperature rises.
    — Victoria Forster, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
Definition of unpleasant
Adjective
  • Lasko’s teammate, Devin Taylor, was able to get up and field the rolling ball that split the two defenders, but Lasko stayed on the ground in what was a pretty ugly crash.
    — Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026
  • His ability to perform a cesarean section — something Doc couldn't dream of — forces the town to reckon with an ugly part of their collective conscience.
    — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 3 July 2026
Definition of ugly
Adjective
  • 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
  • Usually a team of elegant offense, Michigan instead clanked 13 triples off the rim and relied on its inside defensive ferocity to win a game nearly as aesthetically unpleasing as UConn’s 53-41 win over Butler in 2011.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 7 Apr. 2026
Definition of unpleasing
Adjective
  • The ace endured a rocky start punctuated by a hideous 11-run blowup in Minnesota and has now been sidelined with a shoulder injury since April 26.
    — Mac Cerullo, Hartford Courant, 28 June 2026
  • Everyone's favorite hideous ogre and delusional donkey are finally reunited.
    — Derek Lawrence, Entertainment Weekly, 16 June 2026
Definition of hideous
Adjective
  • White settlers and frontier pioneers built vast, fenceless cattle stations, battling harsh environments and disease, embracing a hard-living culture that exists to this day.
    — Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 5 July 2026
  • Dish Soap Using harsh chemicals on the outside of your toilet bowl and fixtures is not recommended, according to Meagher.
    — Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 4 July 2026
Definition of harsh
Adjective
  • In the early seasons, Kenny, one of the main characters, is killed in a violent and grotesque way in almost every episode.
    — Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 3 July 2026
  • In their knockout-round street fight against Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Americans proved delightfully grotesque.
    — Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 2 July 2026
Definition of grotesque
Adjective
  • That if you were deemed, as an enslaved person, if you were deemed troublesome or in some way unwanted, you would literally be sold down the river from the more northern states to the deeper south where you would potentially be treated even worse.
    — Dana Taylor, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • Offer Real Value, Not Leftovers Most product bundles fail not because the idea is bad but because the execution misses what consumers actually want.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of bad
Adjective
  • Including some rather nasty, big corpo bullies who enlist specialist teams to hunt down clues, and other players, too.
    — Grace Dean, Space.com, 1 July 2026
  • Betty Kovacs, the eldest daughter of comedian Ernie Kovacs who with her sister Kippie and stepmother, actress-singer Edie Adams, was at the center of a nasty custody battle that kept Hollywood riveted in 1962, has died.
    — Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 29 June 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 9 Jul. 2026.

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