unpleasant

adjective

ˌən-ˈple-zᵊnt How to pronounce unpleasant (audio)
Definition of unpleasantnext
as in unpleasing
not giving pleasure to the mind or senses the burnt pot roast had a very unpleasant odor

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 unpleasant The consequences are unpleasant, but can also turn dangerous very quickly as body temperature rises. — Victoria Forster, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026 An unpleasant chapter officially closed on Monday for Lisa Hochstein. — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 23 June 2026 Mineral buildup inside the ice-making system or residue in the ice bin can also contribute to unpleasant flavors, Angelesco says. — Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 27 June 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for unpleasant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unpleasant
  1. unpleasing
  2. harsh
  3. bad
  4. nasty
  5. ugly
  6. bitter
  7. sour
  8. horrible
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
  • 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
  • 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
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
  • Losing to a rival is bad enough, but how the defeat unfolded is sure to leave a bitter taste in the mouth of one of the greatest strikers ever.
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 July 2026
  • The empty hotels have now become a bitter symbol of the collapse of an industry once seen as key to Cuba’s economic future.
    — Patrick Oppmann, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
Definition of bitter
Adjective
  • A little sweet, a little sour, oh-so-refreshing—a limoncello spritz will never disappoint.
    — Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 5 July 2026
  • Some were a little thrown off by the vegetable note, but overall, most felt like this one was a good balance of sweet and sour.
    — Melinda Salchert, Southern Living, 3 July 2026
Definition of sour
Adjective
  • And obviously, slavery was a terrible thing, and that was horrible.
    — Hanna Rosin, The Atlantic, 2 July 2026
  • Horton, who married Rickman in 2012 in a private ceremony after more than 40 years together, also told the outlet that the diagnosis had been a horrible shock to them both.
    — Gillian Telling, PEOPLE, 29 June 2026
Definition of horrible

Browse Nearby Words

unplausible
unpleasant
unpleasantly
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unpleasant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unpleasant. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on unpleasant

Nglish: Translation of unpleasant for Spanish Speakers

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