as in low
belonging to the class of people of low social or economic rank
a TV producer who knew what the unwashed masses wanted—and unhesitatingly gave it to them
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in masses
people looked down upon as ignorant and of the lowest class
Aunt Edna was fond of snootily reminding us that we need not take our manners from the great unwashed
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 unwashed
Alexis Soloski, New York Times, 3 Jan. 2025
Prepare your equipment There’s almost nothing worse than going on a romantic date with your partner, perhaps for some tacos, only to get down to business later and accidentally burn them with your spicy, unwashed hands.
—Quispe López, Them, 14 Feb. 2025
Wash Your Hands First, make sure your hands are clean, as failing to wash your hands properly can lead to serious oral health issues.
Bacteria and viruses from unwashed hands can enter the mouth, increasing the risk of infections like gingivitis, cavities, and even hand-foot-and-mouth disease.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 31 Jan. 2025
Clean the Handle and Zippers The handle and zippers get a lot of use and are frequently touched, often with unwashed hands.
—Lauren David, Southern Living, 31 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unwashed
Adjective
Here the West is unwashed — muddy, bloody, cold and mean.
—Alexis Soloski, New York Times, 3 Jan. 2025
Prepare your equipment There’s almost nothing worse than going on a romantic date with your partner, perhaps for some tacos, only to get down to business later and accidentally burn them with your spicy, unwashed hands.
—Quispe López, Them, 14 Feb. 2025
Wash Your Hands First, make sure your hands are clean, as failing to wash your hands properly can lead to serious oral health issues.
Bacteria and viruses from unwashed hands can enter the mouth, increasing the risk of infections like gingivitis, cavities, and even hand-foot-and-mouth disease.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 31 Jan. 2025
Clean the Handle and Zippers The handle and zippers get a lot of use and are frequently touched, often with unwashed hands.
—Lauren David, Southern Living, 31 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unwashed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unwashed
Adjective
-
When camping in an open environment, select a campsite in a valley, ravine, or low region.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
1 Apr. 2025
-
Avoid puddles - Driving into puddles or low rainwater areas can lead to vehicles hydroplaning or losing control.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
1 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Yet Empire Falls translates into a lumpen, stodgy miniseries, despite a fine central performance from Harris as a divorced diner owner with deep roots in the town and a structure that allows the past to keep informing and enriching the present.—
Scott Tobias,
Vulture,
14 Apr. 2024
-
Rhys spent decades, often isolated and paranoid, in lumpen houses and apartments in and out of London, before success arrived late.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
20 June 2022
Noun
-
There was little-to-no doubt Jurgen Klopp’s side were going to defeat Ralf Rangnick’s under-interim-management rabble that day.—
Carl Anka,
The Athletic,
4 Jan. 2025
-
Advertisement From start to finish, pure madness, amid a rabble that never calmed, never quieted, never quit.—
Bill Plaschke,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Oct. 2024
Adjective
-
Still, Hubbard likely didn’t mind, as the humble and grateful fifth-year senior was simply happy his unlikely career would continue.—
Tim Casey,
Forbes.com,
4 Apr. 2025
-
On Friday, South Korea’s former President was forced to eat the humble variety after his impeachment over an earlier martial law declaration was unanimously confirmed by the nation’s Constitutional Court.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
4 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
For the rest of the populace, look at how the average person’s income has changed, taking into account inflation and population growth.—
Harry Enten,
CNN Money,
28 Mar. 2025
-
While this initiative aims to enhance government efficiency, it has been widely discussed that the real reason for the budget cuts are to benefit high-income individuals and corporations (widely referred to by critics as the Trillions for Billionaires Act), at the expense of the general populace.—
Solange Charas,
Forbes,
23 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Below that sits the pedestrian CLK 500 and plebeian CLK 350.—
Jeremy Korzeniewski,
Robb Report,
26 Feb. 2025
-
Across the lake, on the plebeian side, up the shoreline a mile or so, in the heart of downtown West Palm Beach, stand twin 32-story towers dubbed Trump Plaza of the Palm Beaches.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
8 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Given Boeing's past missteps and problems, the flying public deserves to hear what changes are being made to rehabilitate the company's tarnished reputation.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2025
-
And the mayor has paid a significant price in his public standing for failing to stand up for taxpayers and leaving that job to Martinez, who admirably did so in the face of grossly unfair attacks, with Johnson now polling at lower levels than any mayor of Chicago before him.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
As is the case with the aesthetics of people, exquisite lines can be found on patrician and proletariat cars alike.—
Robert Ross,
Robb Report,
21 Feb. 2025
-
Inspired by Karl Marx, the Bolsheviks dreamed of a world communist revolution and held special expectations for Germany, Marx’s homeland, and for its proletariat.—
Michael Kimmage,
Foreign Affairs,
19 June 2023
Cite this Entry
“Unwashed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unwashed. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share