unsavory

adjective

ˌən-ˈsā-və-rē How to pronounce unsavory (audio)
Definition of unsavorynext
1
as in distasteful
disagreeable or disgusting to the sense of taste an unsavory blend of spices that simply overwhelmed the fish's delicate flavor

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in immoral
not conforming to a high moral standard; morally unacceptable unsavory doings that ruined the couple's good name in the community

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in unpleasant
not giving pleasure to the mind or senses hated the whole unsavory business of firing people

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in bland
lacking in taste or flavor the unsavory food dished up at the rest area's restaurant should be consumed only by the truly desperate

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example 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 unsavory Off-screen, Ashford, who portrays Jesperson’s daughter, Melissa G. Moore, has dealt with her 8-year-old son Jack making some unsavory discoveries of his own. — Dana Rose Falcone, People.com, 19 Mar. 2025 Some will respond that the CCP yet again has unsavory qualities that make expansion in China unsavory. — John Tamny, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025 In the pitch, the unsavory characters keeping the animals in captivity get their just desserts when these ultimate predators break free and team up for revenge. — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 7 Feb. 2025 In those days the Everglades were seen as Florida’s ghastly backyard, a region of fearsome reptiles and unsavory characters. — Stanley Stewart, Travel + Leisure, 17 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for unsavory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unsavory
  1. distasteful
  2. immoral
  3. unpleasant
  4. bland
  5. unappetizing
  6. unlawful
  7. unpleasing
  8. thin
Adjective
  • That principle is invoked by law firm partners to justify high profit but distasteful representations.
    — Rebecca Beitsch, The Hill, 7 Apr. 2025
  • Boycotts potentially reduce profitability and can be effective ways to address the distasteful politics of a company’s leadership.
    — Kwame Anthony Appiah, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
Definition of distasteful
Adjective
  • Some view his proposal to take over Gaza as outlandish or immoral, and are no fans of Israel’s right-wing government.
    — Katie Glueck, New York Times, 15 Feb. 2025
  • Even though the Hamas charter directly calls for the murder of all Jews, all people must speak out against the immoral proposal to force an entire population into exile.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 14 Feb. 2025
Definition of immoral
Adjective
  • With the present geopolitical situation and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, landmines are making a very unpleasant comeback.
    — David Szondy, New Atlas, 10 Apr. 2025
  • In our testing, the formula feels like a gel-serum—and doesn't get heavy, gloopy, or otherwise unpleasant.
    — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 9 Apr. 2025
Definition of unpleasant
Adjective
  • But the stories themselves are on the bland and predictable side, whether as individual pieces or combined together across these multiple genres.
    — Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 28 Jan. 2025
  • Is paradise a bland suburbia with a quaint downtown selling specialty ice cream to be eaten under a nearby gazebo?
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 28 Jan. 2025
Definition of bland
Adjective
  • That's an unappetizing reality for a mayor whose transportation referendum, which was widely approved by voters, just raised the city's sales tax rate.
    — Nate Rau, Axios, 17 Mar. 2025
  • Will the members of that unappetizing quartet turn out to be harbingers of Conquest, War, Famine, and Death?
    — airmail.news, airmail.news, 15 Mar. 2025
Definition of unappetizing
Adjective
  • Federal workers, migrants and transgender troops are among the groups arguing that Trump’s policies are unlawful and will cause irreversible harm if not blocked.
    — Bart Jansen, USA Today, 5 Apr. 2025
  • In January, a federal appeals court declared DACA unlawful, but kept the policy in place.
    — Nidia Cavazos, CBS News, 4 Apr. 2025
Definition of unlawful
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
  • 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
Definition of unpleasing
Adjective
  • The water pressure then causes the vehicle to rise and slide on a thin layer of water between the tires and the road, making the driver lose control.
    — NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 8 Apr. 2025
  • The Land-Dweller comes in 36 mm and 40 mm sizes, both just 9.7 mm thin.
    — Steven Rogers, Robb Report, 7 Apr. 2025
Definition of thin

Browse Nearby Words

unsatisfied
unsavory
unsay
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Cite this Entry

“Unsavory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unsavory. Accessed 18 Apr. 2025.

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