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unlikable

unlikable

10 4.2
Someone or something that is hard to like because they have qualities people dislike
  • adjective
  • /ʌnˈlaɪkəbl/
translation icon : antipático
  • Despite his intelligence, his rude comments made him seem unlikable to his classmates.
  • an unlikable character
  • an unlikable person
  • very unlikable

And they were by all standards unlikable people.

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Examples

  • George W. Bush's "compassionate conservatism" barely enabled him to defeat the unlikable Al Gore and the equally unlikable John Kerry.

    Blog text (27)
  • The American people overwhelmingly see the King as untrustworthy, unintelligent, unlikable, and delusional.

    Blog text (21)
  • The most unlikable person on the planet.

  • I guess making all the human characters unlikable is one way to deal with it.

    Blog text (32)
  • Kate and Ben were two of the most unlikable characters on TV.

    Blog text (18)
  • Is this guy the most unlikable witness you've ever seen?

  • It's always the most unlikable character who gets bumped off.

  • "The plaintiff was very... unlikable," I explain.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • And Karsa is pretty unlikable at first, for sure.

    Blog text (30)
  • I loved that Rin was such an unlikable protagonist.

Synonyms

unpopular
vsunlikable
121 2.1

Most people do not like someone or something

focuses on general public disapproval rather than an individual's hard to like qualities
intolerable
vsunlikable
42 4.9

So unpleasant or painful that you cannot bear it

is about being unacceptable to endure rather than having traits that make people dislike someone
insufferable
vsunlikable
26 7.5

So unpleasant you cannot stand it

is centered on endurance and intolerability rather than causing mere dislike
unfriendly
vsunlikable
22 1.9

Not kind or warm to other people

describes a cold social manner rather than the broader trait making people dislike someone
loathsome
vsunlikable
20 7.7

Causing strong disgust or hatred in people

is less focused on causing disgust and more on being simply hard to like
unattractive
vsunlikable
16 2.5

Not interesting or likely to make people want it

focuses on lacking physical or aesthetic appeal rather than actively provoking dislike
contemptible
vsunlikable
  • Offensive
15 7.4

Very bad and makes people feel angry or disgusted

attributes moral blameworthiness rather than merely having traits that make others dislike someone
unappealing
vsunlikable
15 4.1

Not attractive, pleasant, or interesting

is about lacking appeal rather than actively making people dislike someone
detestable
vsunlikable
9 6.5

Very unpleasant and causing people to feel strong dislike or hate

is less extreme and covers general hard to like qualities rather than intense hatred
disagreeable
vsunlikable
8 5.0

Unfriendly in manner so people feel uncomfortable

is a general lack of pleasantness rather than a direct cause of dislike
unlovable
vsunlikable
  • Offensive
5 6.1

Hard for people to like or feel close to

means emotionally hard to love rather than simply being hard to like
execrable
vsunlikable
  • Formal
4 9.5

Very bad and unpleasant, causing strong dislike

is about extreme badness rather than general qualities that make others dislike someone
unapproachable
vsunlikable
3 6.6

Not friendly and hard to talk to so people avoid them

is about seeming distant and discouraging contact rather than general dislike
unsympathetic
vsunlikable
  • Literature
3 6.6

Hard to like or feel sorry for, especially a character

is broader meaning simply hard to like rather than lacking sympathy
dislikable
vsunlikable
1 3.9

Making people not like someone or something

is the more general quality of being hard to like rather than extreme dislike
hateable
vsunlikable
1 5.6

Easy for people to dislike because it seems rude or cruel

is milder meaning simply likely to be disliked rather than deserving hatred
hated
vsunlikable
1 2.0

Very strongly disliked or avoided by many people

describes being intensely disliked rather than simply having disagreeable qualities
despised
vsunlikable
1 4.5

Someone people strongly dislike and look down on

expresses stronger social contempt rather than a general personal quality of being hard to like
disliked
vsunlikable
1.0

Not popular with many people

describes being the target of others' aversion rather than causing it
uncompanionable
vsunlikable
8.3

Not friendly and hard to get along with

focuses on being hard to be with rather than simply causing dislike
detested
vsunlikable
4.4

Strongly disliked or hated

describes the state of being intensely disliked rather than a general tendency to cause dislike
unsufferable
vsunlikable
8.4

So bad or strong that you cannot stand it

focuses on being unbearable rather than simply causing dislike in others

Antonyms

likable
  • US
72 1.0

Pleasant and friendly that makes other people feel warm toward you

How Likeable

adorable
280 1.0
charming
418 1.0
likeable
  • UK
1 1.0
unlikable
10 4.2
off-putting
20 6.1

Surface Forms

unlikable positive
unlikeable positive

Morphology

unlikable = likable (transparent) = un + like + able

A straightforward negative prefix 'un-' added to 'likable' yields the meaning 'not likable', which is directly inferable.

Etymology

The word unlikable starts with un- which means 'not' and uses like which means 'to enjoy or feel friendly toward', so it simply means 'not easy to like' and describes someone or something people do not warm to.