unseemly 1 of 2

unseemly

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adverb

Synonym Chooser

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

Examples 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
The head of national intelligence in the first Trump term, Dan Coats, openly criticized Trump for his unseemly embrace of Putin and suggested the Russians own embarrassing secrets about him. Frederic B. Hill, Baltimore Sun, 4 Dec. 2024 If a fake time limit is being used, that’s often frowned upon by insiders who would shame those developers undertaking such an unseemly route. Lance Eliot, Forbes, 8 Dec. 2024
Adverb
However unseemly, Trump’s salacious rendez-vous with Stormy Daniels is not. S.e. Cupp, New York Daily News, 15 May 2024 After leaving office in 2001, Barak undermined his standing by adopting a lavish lifestyle deemed unseemly for a Labor leader. Aluf Benn, Foreign Affairs, 8 June 2016 See all Example Sentences for unseemly 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unseemly
Adjective
  • Lively sued Baldoni, the film’s director and co-star, earlier this month for harassment and retaliation, accusing him of a series of inappropriate and offensive interactions during production.
    Gene Maddaus, Variety, 21 Jan. 2025
  • Bad reviews, inappropriate comments and shabby online engagements have the opposite effect and can potentially leave a permanent mark against the company name.
    Dmitry Malin, Forbes, 21 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • This mismatch results in recruiters spending excessive time reviewing unsuitable applications, with 22% dedicating three to five hours daily to this task.
    Jack Kelly, Forbes, 15 Jan. 2025
  • Uncovering a Forgotten History The discovery was initiated by a 1930s agricultural report referencing untended land filled with graves and trees—an area unsuitable for cultivation.
    Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • Lawyers for Harry, 40, the younger son of King Charles III, will set out to show that the News Group executives concealed and sought to destroy evidence of hacking and other improper practices.
    Mark Landler, New York Times, 18 Jan. 2025
  • According to the Electrical Safety Foundation International, over 65,000 home fires are the result of improper heating equipment usage in the United States.
    Graeme Taskerud, The Denver Post, 18 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • The swindles also involved fake investments, phony sweepstakes, and tech support scams in which a person was contacted and told there was something wrong with their computer, which could be corrected for a fee.
    Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 18 Jan. 2025
  • The outlet reports that Puente would even continue to write letters to her tenants’ family members for months following their deaths in order to cover her tracks and lead the families to believe nothing was wrong.
    Sean Neumann, People.com, 18 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • For example, malfunctioning sensors, unreliable asset location or gaps in data collection can produce incorrect conclusions about asset movement, leading to questionable insights.
    Fabio Belloni, Forbes, 21 Jan. 2025
  • In that case, Fox made a modest admission that incorrect claims had been made, but Dominion Voting Systems was able to reveal the size of the settlement — the more telling concession.
    David Folkenflik, NPR, 21 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Saquon Barkley is an unstoppable force, the defense is resurgent under Vic Fangio, the chatter about an unhappy A.J. Brown has mostly died down.
    Dianna Russini, The Athletic, 16 Jan. 2025
  • Ratings declined, Lynch was unhappy, and the show was canceled.
    Victoria Edel, People.com, 16 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • There are another 10 or so, such as Lil Joe, who are unfit for release after difficult histories.
    Kevin Spear, Orlando Sentinel, 19 Jan. 2025
  • Lee Monroe Straight-leg Jeans $43 $28 at Amazon Denim is notoriously unfit for traveling in, but reviewers say these Lee jeans are an exception.
    Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 17 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near unseemly

Cite this Entry

“Unseemly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unseemly. Accessed 29 Jan. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on unseemly

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