as in inappropriate
marked by an obvious lack of style or good taste
chose a bizarrely unstylish hairstyle for the Halloween party
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Recent Examples of unstylish
But while practical, it’s understated enough for everyday wear without making your outfits look frumpy or unstylish.
—
Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 3 Dec. 2025
Only this time, Trump’s ambush was far more clearly choreographed, and thus somewhat less unstylish.
—Jonny Steinberg, Time, 22 May 2025
The sequences in which the crew shoots the movie also provide some of the most memorable technical flourishes for a film that’s largely sturdy and relatively unstylish, and Saleh has a bit of fun staging his tense thriller on some cheap looking soundstages.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 19 May 2025
The piece is an antique that wasn't fashionable for many decades, but many jewels once considered fussy or unstylish have now been embraced again.
—Stephanie Petit, Peoplemag, 8 Dec. 2023
Slippery soles, cold toes, and unstylish footwear should be avoided at all costs.
—Roxanne Adamiyatt, Town & Country, 29 Dec. 2022
Hearing aids aren't cool: From Bluetooth capabilities to jewelry and charms, Dorn hopes to bust the myth that hearing aids are unstylish.
—Sara M Moniuszko, USA TODAY, 27 Sep. 2022
The alternative of using a single mirror would require a thick lens—resulting in bulky, unstylish AR glasses.
—Ari Grobman, Forbes, 19 July 2022
Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 3 Dec. 2025
Only this time, Trump’s ambush was far more clearly choreographed, and thus somewhat less unstylish.
—Jonny Steinberg, Time, 22 May 2025
The sequences in which the crew shoots the movie also provide some of the most memorable technical flourishes for a film that’s largely sturdy and relatively unstylish, and Saleh has a bit of fun staging his tense thriller on some cheap looking soundstages.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 19 May 2025
The piece is an antique that wasn't fashionable for many decades, but many jewels once considered fussy or unstylish have now been embraced again.
—Stephanie Petit, Peoplemag, 8 Dec. 2023
Slippery soles, cold toes, and unstylish footwear should be avoided at all costs.
—Roxanne Adamiyatt, Town & Country, 29 Dec. 2022
Hearing aids aren't cool: From Bluetooth capabilities to jewelry and charms, Dorn hopes to bust the myth that hearing aids are unstylish.
—Sara M Moniuszko, USA TODAY, 27 Sep. 2022
The alternative of using a single mirror would require a thick lens—resulting in bulky, unstylish AR glasses.
—Ari Grobman, Forbes, 19 July 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unstylish
Adjective
-
Padilla saw a study from the United States Public Interest Research Group, where researchers tested three AI toys with a series of inappropriate questions to gauge the guardrails.—
Noelle Harff,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 May 2026
-
There are significant worries that AI can readily go off the rails or otherwise dispense unsuitable or even egregiously inappropriate mental health advice.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Adjective
-
More to Explore Many of the human props—canes, top hats, desks—used in primate taxidermy became unfashionable in the first half of the nineteenth century, but there were still throwbacks.—
Matthew Wills,
JSTOR Daily,
18 May 2026
-
In The Devil Wears Prada 2, Novak stars as the unfashionable businessman Jay Ravitz.—
Jack Smart,
PEOPLE,
6 May 2026
Adjective
-
There are significant worries that AI can readily go off the rails or otherwise dispense unsuitable or even egregiously inappropriate mental health advice.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2026
-
The trend was further compounded in koalas with chlamydiosis -- a common bacterial disease among the species -- and those found in unsuitable conditions, Mella said.—
Julia Jacobo,
ABC News,
26 May 2026
Adjective
-
Flip-flops are widely believed to be a poor pick for arch support—but the Clarks Breeze Sea Sandals prove that notion incorrect.—
Merrell Readman,
Travel + Leisure,
26 May 2026
-
In addition to the incorrect name and state, the apology poster’s profile photo bore no resemblance to Crosby’s actual ex-husband.—
James Lasdun,
New Yorker,
26 May 2026
Adjective
-
Like sparks igniting, the result is a piece that feels alive with energy rather than a dowdy relic of the past.—
Paige Reddinger,
Robb Report,
17 May 2026
-
Reed was not the typical dowdy or frumpy critic.—
Duane Byrge,
HollywoodReporter,
12 May 2026
Adjective
-
Black and white, right and wrong, cut and dried.—
Erika Ettin,
Boston Herald,
31 May 2026
-
The Angels brought a one-run lead into the seventh inning, and then just about everything went wrong in a seven-run inning that sent them to an 8-5 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
30 May 2026
Adjective
-
Haines’ dynamic vocals often bail out the more inelegant lyrics.—
Ethan Beck,
Pitchfork,
4 May 2026
-
This strikes me as an inelegant way to write Tommy off the show, if that’s indeed what’s happening.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Reducing every tactile input to the same kind of press on a giant touchscreen that dominates the interior of a vehicle feels both tacky and unwieldy.—
TC Sottek,
The Verge,
27 May 2026
-
Our Top Sunscreens Under Makeup But a few strategic steps can prevent that from happening, like using a lightweight moisturizer and wearing a makeup-friendly SPF that absorbs quickly, dries down smoothly, and doesn’t leave behind a slick or tacky finish.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
22 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unstylish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unstylish. Accessed 3 Jun. 2026.
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