UNSEEMLY Synonyms: 153 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'unseemly' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of unseemly are improper , indecorous , indelicate , and unbecoming . While all these words mean "not conforming to what is accepted as right, fitting, or in good taste," unseemly adds a suggestion of special inappropriateness to a situation or an offensiveness to good taste. // remarried with unseemly haste

Q: When could 'improper' be used to replace 'unseemly'?

In some situations, the words improper and unseemly are roughly equivalent. However, improper applies to a broader range of transgressions of rules not only of social behavior but of ethical practice or logical procedure or prescribed method. // improper use of campaign contributions

Q: When can 'indecorous' be used instead of 'unseemly'?

While in some cases nearly identical to unseemly , indecorous suggests a violation of accepted standards of good manners. // indecorous behavior

Q: When would 'indelicate' be a good substitute for 'unseemly'?

The synonyms indelicate and unseemly are sometimes interchangeable, but indelicate implies a lack of modesty or of tact or of refined perception of feeling. // indelicate expressions for bodily functions

Q: When is it sensible to use 'unbecoming' instead of 'unseemly'?

While the synonyms unbecoming and unseemly are close in meaning, unbecoming suggests behavior or language that does not suit one's character or status. // conduct unbecoming to an officer

unseemly 1 of 2

adjective

ˌən-ˈsēm-lē

Definition of unseemly

as in inappropriate

not appropriate for a particular occasion or situation an unseemly interest in their host's income and expenses

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

unseemly

2 of 2

adverb

as in inappropriately

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How does the adjective unseemly differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of unseemly are improper, indecorous, indelicate, and unbecoming. While all these words mean "not conforming to what is accepted as right, fitting, or in good taste," unseemly adds a suggestion of special inappropriateness to a situation or an offensiveness to good taste.

remarried with unseemly haste

When could improper be used to replace unseemly?

In some situations, the words improper and unseemly are roughly equivalent. However, improper applies to a broader range of transgressions of rules not only of social behavior but of ethical practice or logical procedure or prescribed method.

improper use of campaign contributions

When can indecorous be used instead of unseemly?

While in some cases nearly identical to unseemly, indecorous suggests a violation of accepted standards of good manners.

indecorous behavior

When would indelicate be a good substitute for unseemly?

The synonyms indelicate and unseemly are sometimes interchangeable, but indelicate implies a lack of modesty or of tact or of refined perception of feeling.

indelicate expressions for bodily functions

When is it sensible to use unbecoming instead of unseemly?

While the synonyms unbecoming and unseemly are close in meaning, unbecoming suggests behavior or language that does not suit one's character or status.

conduct unbecoming to an officer

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 unseemly

Adjective

Forget about the ill-behaved, performative fans hoping to go viral on TikTok for unseemly behavior. — Fred Katz, New York Times, 14 June 2026 Republican voters heard this and concluded Trump was the most pragmatic candidate of the bunch, even though his agenda was (and is) often wrapped in provocative language and unseemly behavior. — David M. Drucker, Twin Cities, 19 Mar. 2026

Adverb

The team that lands Sasaki likely will back out of those commitments without hesitation, no matter how unseemly that practice might appear. — Ken Rosenthal, The Athletic, 5 Jan. 2025 Irish America’s many stories In time, memories of these pro-British parades and banquets proved unseemly in the fledgling republic. — Cian T. McMahon, The Conversation, 11 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unseemly

Recent Examples of Synonyms for unseemly

Adjective

In some countries, such as Japan, tipping can even be viewed as awkward, inappropriate, and unnecessary as patrons eat, pay the bill, and simply leave.

— Doug Melville, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026
Some commenters felt the post was cringeworthy and inappropriate.

— Richard Johnson, New York Daily News, 5 July 2026

Definition of inappropriate

Adverb

Vought’s moves also raise the risk of corruption and outside groups inappropriately influencing funding decisions.

— Lisa Jarvis, Mercury News, 27 June 2026
By contrast, the three male actors who appear in major supporting roles—along with Colin, there’s Lindon as the doctor and Louis Garrel as Maxine’s cinematographer and, ultimately, lover—are all veterans whose iconic presences make their small roles feel unusually, even inappropriately, prominent.

— Richard Brody, New Yorker, 27 June 2026

Definition of inappropriately

Adjective

Drivers should avoid off-road detours or unpaved shortcuts suggested by map apps, as those routes can be dangerous and unsuitable for passenger and commercial vehicles, state officials said.

— Katie Langford, Denver Post, 4 July 2026
The dogs were found to be living in unsuitable conditions, while the puppies were suffering from malnutrition, and a number of the dogs had additional medical conditions as well.

— Adam England, PEOPLE, 29 June 2026

Definition of unsuitable

Adverb

The trial court risked prejudicing the jury by improperly admitting evidence about Mead Johnson’s finances, including its revenues, profits, and executive compensation, the appeals court said.

— David Hilzenrath, USA Today, 2 July 2026
Miami Beach was sued in December by a developer who claims the city improperly rejected a Live Local project.

— Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 1 July 2026

Definition of improperly

Adjective

Also requested were documents related to a lawsuit, recently settled for $135,000, claiming Kramer had given an improper assessment of a property and retaliated against an employee who complained.

— Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 7 July 2026
Thus, the LLCs asserting objections to the alter ego findings as to the trusts were improper.

— Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026

Definition of improper

Adverb

Along beaches that had been stripped of their vegetation, icebergs sat incongruously high on rocks.

— Megan I. Gannon, Scientific American, 6 May 2026
One side story, of a former pro athlete caught in a downward spiral of violence, addiction, and ill health, feels incongruously grim.

— Judy Berman, Time, 11 Mar. 2026

Definition of incongruously

Adverb

Historically, Black and brown students are more often wrongly identified as needing special education than their peers.

— Jonaki Mehta, NPR, 2 July 2026
Based on Harper Lee's seminal novel, the movie casts Gregory Peck as lawyer Atticus Finch, who in Depression-era Alabama defends a Black man wrongly accused of raping a young white woman.

— Brian Truitt, USA Today, 1 July 2026

Definition of wrongly

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unseemly

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

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