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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2
as in ugly
unpleasant to look at
an unlovely but efficient little machine
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Recent Examples of unlovely
The song is unlovely and jagged, the melody’s sweetness repeatedly punctured by the squawks of their habitual bickering.
—
Washington Post Staff, Washington Post, 13 Feb. 2024
From its inception, back in 2012, Mann’s relentless litigation has been marked out by an unlovely mixture of mendacity and egomania.
—The Editors, National Review, 9 Feb. 2024
The place is owned by Jabe Torrance (Michael Cullen), a mean man with an unlovely personality who’s just returned from having surgery in Memphis and seems to be dying.
—Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 31 July 2023
Perhaps her skepticism showed: A sketch of the conference speakers has the 43-year-old grim-faced beneath a wide, unlovely hat.
—Sarah Watling, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 May 2023
See All Example Sentences for unlovely
Washington Post Staff, Washington Post, 13 Feb. 2024
From its inception, back in 2012, Mann’s relentless litigation has been marked out by an unlovely mixture of mendacity and egomania.
—The Editors, National Review, 9 Feb. 2024
The place is owned by Jabe Torrance (Michael Cullen), a mean man with an unlovely personality who’s just returned from having surgery in Memphis and seems to be dying.
—Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 31 July 2023
Perhaps her skepticism showed: A sketch of the conference speakers has the 43-year-old grim-faced beneath a wide, unlovely hat.
—Sarah Watling, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 May 2023
See All Example Sentences for unlovely
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unlovely
Adjective
-
As horrible, unpleasant, miserable this work was, people had the most wonderful spirit.—
Ari Daniel,
Smithsonian Magazine,
3 Apr. 2025
-
Euphemisms are designed to obfuscate unpleasant truths.—
Zachariah Mampilly,
Foreign Affairs,
1 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The first outcome would be a massive win for the United States, while the second would likely be far uglier.—
Michael Khouw,
CNBC,
3 Apr. 2025
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And at a moment where reality TV shows are proliferating, but often with an ugly underbelly, the cable brand is betting that its antidote will resonate with an audience on both linear TV and streaming.—
Alex Weprin,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Smears on non-sensor areas of the tiara are like bug debris on your hood, aesthetically unpleasing but not harmful.—
Eric Tegler,
Popular Mechanics,
1 Oct. 2019
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His side's inability to finish off the game against Burnley on the other hand was very unpleasing.—
SI.com,
SI.com,
1 Feb. 2018
Adjective
-
The architectural vandalism was hideous and heartbreaking to watch, inhumane civic renewal by wrecking ball in the discredited vein of Robert Moses.—
Frank Rich,
Vulture,
8 Apr. 2025
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The month leading up to their Champions League tie with Real Madrid has been absolutely hideous.—
Amy Lawrence,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Donald Trump defended his harsh new tariffs on Saturday Night Live this week — and maybe took a swipe at last week’s musical guest, too.—
Dave Nemetz,
TVLine,
5 Apr. 2025
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Never one for details, Trump is now clearly linking the harsh 54% tariffs imposed on China on Tuesday to a TikTok deal.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The choreography is grotesque, but efficient — an intricate, parasitic pageant engineered to keep the show going for as long as the fungus needs until the next brood comes along.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
6 Apr. 2025
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Returnal Returnal was one of the first exclusives of the PS5 generation; a fabulously grotesque sci-fi horror dirge, and still worth your attention today.—
Luke Winkie,
Vulture,
1 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Since Trump’s Wednesday announcement, the stock market plummeted to its worst position since March 2020.—
Ashleigh Fields,
The Hill,
5 Apr. 2025
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Listen to this article San Diego officials are scrambling to figure out how to fix or replace the 43-year-old Mission Beach lifeguard tower, which is in such bad shape structurally that it’s been declared a threat to public health and safety.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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His other performances included as Robert De Niro’s nasty henchman in Michael Mann’s Heat (1995); as Marlon Brando’s insane assistant in John Frankenheimer’s The Island of Dr. Moreau (1996) and as the suave crook Simon Templar in Phillip Noyce’s The Saint (1997).—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
2 Apr. 2025
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The veteran forward took a nasty fall with 3:21 left in the fourth quarter, landed hard on his tailbone, and spent minutes down on the court surrounded by teammates and coaches.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
30 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unlovely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unlovely. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.
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