unsavory

adjective

ˌən-ˈsā-və-rē How to pronounce unsavory (audio)
Definition of unsavorynext
1
as in distasteful
disagreeable or disgusting to the sense of taste an unsavory blend of spices that simply overwhelmed the fish's delicate flavor

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in immoral
not conforming to a high moral standard; morally unacceptable unsavory doings that ruined the couple's good name in the community

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in unpleasant
not giving pleasure to the mind or senses hated the whole unsavory business of firing people

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in bland
lacking in taste or flavor the unsavory food dished up at the rest area's restaurant should be consumed only by the truly desperate

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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 unsavory Daemon dispatches some unsavory, not overly bright fellows to break into the castle at King's Landing to kill Aemond. — Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 20 June 2026 Banks maintained long-standing relationships with corporate clients; white-shoe law firms didn’t compete for business; hostile takeovers and the like were regarded as somewhat unsavory. — Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 15 June 2026 The goal of providing that commentary is to assure the market that the CFO switch isn’t related to anything unsavory happening with the accounting book. — Zev Fima,kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 28 June 2026 Mickelson was one of the most popular players on the PGA Tour before his controversial move to LIV and comments about his Saudi backers, and his career survived some unsavory headlines, several of which pertained to gambling. — Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for unsavory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unsavory
  1. distasteful
  2. immoral
  3. unpleasant
  4. bland
  5. unappetizing
  6. unlawful
  7. unpleasing
  8. thin
Adjective
  • South Florida beaches have been inundated by waves of sargassum in recent weeks — while visually distasteful to some, the seaweed is not usually harmful to humans, and occupies a critical niche in marine ecosystems.
    — Sarah Perkel, USA Today, 16 June 2026
  • Even comedian Shane Gillis, who's been in hot water for his own distasteful jokes, wasn't a fan of Hokit's words.
    — Leigh Blickley, Entertainment Weekly, 15 June 2026
Definition of distasteful
Adjective
  • Court records show that 60-year-old Bradley Kyle Martin, of Dearborn Heights, is charged with using a computer or internet to communicate with another person to commit a crime and accosting children for immoral purposes.
    — DeJanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 25 June 2026
  • These monsters—its antitheses—constitute that part of our nature that urges us to be sensible and strong, and that inclines us to see the life drive as trivial, weak, sentimental and immoral.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 June 2026
Definition of immoral
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
  • But together, the whole is blander than the sum of its parts—a subtle banality humans can often implicitly sense.
    — Sam Macdonald, Scientific American, 29 June 2026
  • The smallest pieces will turn a bland outfit into an Instagram-worthy moment.
    — Emma Greene, InStyle, 26 June 2026
Definition of bland
Adjective
  • Try adding lemon, cucumber, or mint to your water to encourage hydration if plain water in the morning feels boring or unappetizing.
    — Cristina Mutchler, Verywell Health, 19 June 2026
  • All those unappetizing items go in your brown yard waste cart, not the black trash cart or the blue recycle cart.
    — Terri Daxon, Oc Register, 28 May 2026
Definition of unappetizing
Adjective
  • Kayden Bordley, 19, faces one count each of second-degree murder and unlawful use of a weapon, and two counts of armed criminal action, according to a Jackson County charging document.
    — Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 7 July 2026
  • The hours-long pandemonium involved some teenaged children and young adults throwing mortars, fireworks and more at those who crowded about and at police officers, a grocery store getting merchandise stolen and an unlawful assembly declared.
    — Sierra van der Brug, Oc Register, 6 July 2026
Definition of unlawful
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 water pressure then causes the vehicle to rise and slide on a thin layer of water between the tires and the road, making the driver lose control.
    — STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 July 2026
  • Sprinkle the entire rug with a thin layer of baking soda and wait 20 minutes.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 5 July 2026
Definition of thin

Browse Nearby Words

unsatisfied
unsavory
unsay
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Cite this Entry

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

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