undesirable
8
6.0
- noun
- /ˌʌndɪˈzaɪərəbəl/
- Offensive
- The manager expressed concern over hiring undesirables, fearing they might disrupt teamwork and morale.
Loading YouTube…
Watch on YouTubeThere are even lists of problems that were given to undesirables in those days.
- There are even lists of problems that were given to undesirables in those days.
- And, and the people up there are convicts or other undesirables who we sent up there.
- She was in Mayfair drinking champagne in nice clubs and I was in warehouses rolling round on the floor with undesirables.
- Yeah, they've both got a bit of an undesirable
Examples
-
My parents had always had a soft spot for the undesirables, the animals that no one else would want.
Blog text (2) -
The community decided to exclude the undesirables from their gatherings to maintain a pleasant atmosphere.
-
There are even lists of problems that were given to undesirables in those days.
-
You'll need me to protect you from the undesirables.
-
Their ancestors were labeled as undesirables in Europe and expelled from their native countries.
Blog text (10) -
We've had to dispose of so many undesirables of late.
-
So in towns throughout Europe close themselves to outsiders and inside the towns undesirables might be rounded up and expelled.
-
At some point, Margaret Sanger also added Catholics to her list of undesirables.
Blog text (21) -
Once removed from the upper class's repertoire, tattoos became affiliated with social undesirables and deviants.
Academic text (2012) -
In times of turmoil, certain groups are often labeled as undesirables and face discrimination without cause.
Synonyms
11
9.4
A person who is not welcome in a place, often for official reasons
9
9.5
A person or thing people strongly dislike
A person who is not wanted in a place or group
An unpleasant person who is hard to get along with
How Accepted
Surface Forms
Morphology
undesirable = undesirable (transparent) = un + desire + able
The noun is a regular substantivization of the adjective 'undesirable', so the meaning is easy to infer from the base adjective.
Etymology
Undesirable as a noun is built the same way: un- 'not' + desire 'want', and it means a person who is 'not wanted' in a place or group. That's why people call someone an 'undesirable' when others try to keep them away.