unlovely
- adjective
- /ʌnˈlʌvli/
- The movie was criticized for its unlovely portrayal of urban life, lacking charm or beauty.
- an unlovely place
Examples
-
He looked eagerly for the unlovely flowers, anxious to bank his plants with them for a critical few days.
Fiction book (1994) -
She glanced at the unlovely wall of concrete that surrounded the parking lot.
-
The train scraped through the flat, unlovely landscape.
Fiction book (2000) -
And being wrong means I'm not complete, or perhaps even unlovely or unlovable.
Blog text (29) -
The Mean Fiddler, for those who don't know, is a pub in an unlovely part of northwest London with a room at the back where bands play.
Fiction book (1992) -
Terry gazed at the exceedingly unlovely Love Nest, Norman's place of business, with amazement and respect.
Fiction book (1996) -
His tactic is to make an unlovely subject visually appealing; his strategy, which succeeds, is to communicate a strange mixture of humor, pleasure, and disquiet.
Academic text (2005) -
And in Tobias's pocket was a watch that snapped open to a photograph—a woman with cold eyes and a severe, unlovely mouth, his mother.
Fiction book (1992) -
Their bareness, that of an unlovely body in the sun, offended him, and the bewildered looks of the pale men and women who lived there aroused in him an irrational anger.
Fiction book (1991) -
The garden was filled with unlovely weeds that spoiled its beauty.
Synonyms
Not pleasant to look at
Very ugly and likely to make people feel shocked or disgusted
Causing strong dislike or disgust, like a very bad smell
Not pleasant to look at or to the senses
Causing strong disgust or hatred in people
Not attractive, pleasant, or interesting
Unpleasant to look at
Not attractive to look at
Not attractive or exciting and often plain
Not pleasant or welcoming and likely to keep people away
Very unpleasant to look at or to be with
Not attractive in looks or style
Not attractive to look at, especially in the face
Not pleasant to look at or to be part of
Not attractive to look at
Not pleasant to look at
Unpleasant to the senses, like a bitter taste or bright light
Not attractive or interesting
Not attractive in a romantic or sexual way
Something that is not pretty to look at, for example a town or view
Not attractive to look at
Very unpleasant and likely to make people feel disgusted
Causing a strong feeling of dislike or making people feel sick
Antonyms
How Attractive
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Unlovely is made from the prefix un- ('not') plus lovely, which comes from love ('strong liking') and meant 'pleasant or attractive'. So unlovely means 'not pleasant or attractive', used for things or words that seem ugly or unpleasant.