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Glite Dictionary
unconvincing

unconvincing

11 5.1
Failing to make someone believe what you say
  • adjective
  • /ˌʌn.kənˈvɪn.sɪŋ/
translation icon : poco convincente
  • His explanation was so unclear that it sounded unconvincing to everyone in the room.
  • unconvincing argument
  • unconvincing evidence
  • find it unconvincing

But I, I don't know, I find it kind of unnecessary and unconvincing, but maybe maybe others would enjoy it.

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Examples

  • I find that answer vague and unconvincing.

    Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)

  • "What are you going to do?" Treadwell looked up at his wife and managed an unconvincing smile.

    Fiction book (1995)

  • "The only one I can see." "Lead me to it," I said, with an unconvincing attempt at a smile.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • Some say the argument was over a woman, though I find this unconvincing.

    Fiction book (2001)

  • I will not discuss his Romanian materials except to say that they are unconvincing.

    Academic text (1994)

  • The rationale for thinking otherwise is unconvincing and receives little support from the historical record.

    Academic text (2001)

  • From the informants' perspective, the risk calculations made by the authorities are unconvincing.

    Academic text (2006)

  • Any response turned out to be fundamentally incomplete and, as a result, sounded unconvincing or even false.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • The image on the digital membrane, our hideaway's only hint of romance, was sadly unconvincing.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • Somalia had put forward a series of unconvincing arguments on the invalidity of the MOU.

    Academic text (2018)

Synonyms

flimsy
vsunconvincing
19 4.6

Weak and not convincing as an excuse or argument

is a broader failure to persuade rather than only weak quality
unpersuasive
vsunconvincing
2 6.5

Not able to make someone believe or agree

is about failing to make someone believe or accept something
as convincing as weak tea
vsunconvincing
  • Informal
8.4

Very weak and hard to believe

is the normal term for failing to persuade but less extreme
uncompelling
vsunconvincing
6.3

Does not interest or convince people

focuses on lack of interest whereas key is about making someone believe or accept

Antonyms

convincing
195 3.4

That makes someone believe something is true

persuasive
99 3.9

Able to make someone believe or do something by giving clear reasons

How Convincing

compelling
298 5.1
convincing
195 3.4
unconvincing
11 5.1

Surface Forms

unconvincing positive
unconvincingly positive

Morphology

unconvincing = convincing (transparent) = un + convince + ing

Formed by the productive negation prefix 'un-' attached to the adjective 'convincing', so the negated meaning is directly predictable.

Etymology

Unconvincing is built from un- meaning 'not' and convince, which comes from the same root as victory and originally meant 'to win someone over' or 'to prove'. So unconvincing literally means 'not able to win someone over', which is why we use it for explanations or stories that do not persuade people.