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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Example Sentences
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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
-
Investors were greeted with unpleasant inflation data on Tuesday.—
Michael Khouw,
CNBC,
13 Feb. 2025
-
The steam emanating from the hot oats began to cook the egg whites, which gave the dish an unpleasant scrambled egg-like texture.—
Ashia Aubourg,
Outside Online,
6 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Since winning at Boise State on Jan. 4 and blowing out Air Force at home four days later, the season had become a grind – a double-digit loss at New Mexico, a rare home loss against UNLV, a string of ugly wins against the Mountain West’s bottom-feeders after overcoming dangerously large deficits.—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Feb. 2025
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Aside from being ugly, your chocolate will be grainy and crumbly and a little sad.—
Matthew Korfhage,
WIRED,
15 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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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
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The result was good for the Jayhawks, as the Cyclones shot a hideous 1-for-12 (11%) from long range.—
Shreyas Laddha,
Kansas City Star,
4 Feb. 2025
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Rust is a big deal, as is the fact that many Panteras have been mangled by previous owners bestowing hideous enhancements (think bad celebrity plastic surgery) on otherwise desirable cars.—
Robert Ross,
Robb Report,
17 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The protest was not politically motivated, but demonstrations in the country can sometimes lead to political unrest under the harsh regime.—
Brie Stimson,
Fox News,
16 Feb. 2025
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The delays follow the National Weather Service (NWS) issuing a warning over harsh weather for residents of Huntersville and Gastonia in North Carolina, which is also affecting the Charlotte Douglas Airport.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
16 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Werfel concocted a more tortuous explanation for his wife’s grotesque behavior.—
Alex Ross,
The New Yorker,
3 Feb. 2025
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Janacek’s Capriccio is a strange hybrid of lyricism and grotesque shocks of color.—
Corinna da Fonseca-Wollheim,
New York Times,
24 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The weather was bad enough that MassDOT dropped the speed limit on the pike and forbid tandem trucks from the road.—
Matthew Medsger,
Boston Herald,
17 Feb. 2025
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There have been worse trades than the one that sent Luka Dončić from the Dallas Mavericks to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis, along with Max Christie and a future first-round draft pick.—
Louisa Thomas,
The New Yorker,
16 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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What follows is a twisted game of house where familiar familial relationships crumble and new ones take root like nasty black weeds.—
M.L. Rio,
New York Times,
14 Feb. 2025
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Eagles edge rusher Josh Sweat had the splashiest individual stat line with 2.5 sacks, but a crew of nasty defensive tackles wrought devastation versus the run and the pass.—
Tim Graham,
The Athletic,
14 Feb. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Unlovely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unlovely. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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