unceremonious

adjective

un·​cer·​e·​mo·​ni·​ous ˌən-ˌser-ə-ˈmō-nē-əs How to pronounce unceremonious (audio)
1
: not ceremonious : informal
2
: abrupt, rude
an unceremonious dismissal
unceremoniously adverb
unceremoniousness noun

Examples of unceremonious in a Sentence

His unceremonious dismissal by the new boss surprised everybody. my polite request was met with an unceremonious refusal
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The loss brought an unceremonious finish to a season in which the Knicks earned the East’s No. 3 seed and advanced to the conference finals for the first time since 2000. Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 1 June 2025 No two players on SDSU’s roster have made greater strides since the unceremonious 27-point loss against North Carolina in the NCAA Tournament’s First Four. Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 May 2025 And when he’s actually pulled away and thrown into the back of a cab, Kilmer’s exit is as unceremonious as a cable yanked out from an amp, leaving viewers drifting along the film’s woozy currents. Beatrice Loayza, The Atlantic, 8 Apr. 2025 When the captain, in a show of stereotypical arrogance, ignores his first officer’s reservations about their trajectory, their little collegial quarrel is definitively resolved by an unceremonious and fiery plunge to earth. Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 25 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for unceremonious

Word History

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of unceremonious was in 1598

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Cite this Entry

“Unceremonious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unceremonious. Accessed 15 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

unceremonious

adjective
un·​cer·​e·​mo·​ni·​ous ˌən-ˌser-ə-ˈmō-nē-əs How to pronounce unceremonious (audio)
: acting without or lacking ordinary courtesy : abrupt
an unceremonious departure
unceremoniously adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on unceremonious

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