unkempt

adjective

ˌən-ˈkem(p)t How to pronounce unkempt (audio)
Definition of unkemptnext
1
as in messy
lacking in order, neatness, and often cleanliness an unkempt and cluttered room

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sloppy
lacking neatness in dress or person the stereotype of the unkempt but brilliant scientist

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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 unkempt Beneath Lamb’s unkempt appearance, crude manners, noxious flatulence, and stinging remarks lies one of the sharpest minds in MI5 and a man fiercely protective of his brood of misfits. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 17 Aug. 2026 Also in July, following a tenant’s eviction, the NYPD and ASPCA discovered nine dead cats inside the filthy, unkempt Queens apartment. — Emma Seiwell, New York Daily News, 7 Aug. 2026 Milkweed tends to thrive in transitional areas, such as fallow fields, unkempt lawns, and the edges of highways. — Vann R. Newkirk Ii, The Atlantic, 28 July 2026 Today, some bright spots aside, the Art Deco District’s historic commercial spine is a drab length of vacant and unkempt storefronts, smoke shops, liquor stores, fast-food outlets, cheap T-shirt emporia and other varieties of tourist trap. — Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 22 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for unkempt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unkempt
  1. messy
  2. sloppy
  3. chaotic
  4. shaggy
  5. littered
  6. wrinkled
  7. filthy
  8. untidy
Adjective
  • Plus, merging everything into one pot can be messy; One partner may be paying off student loans while the other is debt-free with a pristine credit history.
    — Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The Bears have a messy QB situation but the defense has been mostly good.
    — Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of messy
Adjective
  • One possibility is that teams are simply playing sloppier football.
    — Bobby Burack OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 Oct. 2026
  • But sloppy play extended the fifth inning and put the Dodgers in a hole again.
    — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of sloppy
Adjective
  • But the image that stays with me is of a meeting with Olga, climbing the winding stairs of our little building for a somewhat chaotic coffee in the festival’s office.
    — Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Explore See latest videos, charts and news Turnstile is the first hardcore band to appear on SNL since Fear’s famously chaotic performance back in 1981.
    — Lars Brandle, Billboard, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of chaotic
Adjective
  • Crafted by celebrity hair artist Coree Moreno, her dark brown ends appeared like a messier version of the flapper pixie — shaggy and teased all over.
    — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 6 Oct. 2026
  • He was done with being shaggy — this would be an album of precision.
    — Josephine Reisman, Vulture, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of shaggy
Adjective
  • In the past, her songs were so littered with personal details that listening felt voyeuristic.
    — Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 31 Mar. 2026
  • The series does not touch on the tabloid attention that followed the Beckhams in 2004, when it was alleged that David had an affair with his personal assistant, Rebecca Loos, and the many further accusations of cheating that littered gossip columns after.
    — Scarlett Harris, Time, 9 Oct. 2025
Definition of littered
Adjective
  • Participants with wet but non-wrinkled fingers required significantly more force to maintain the same hold; their hands were working harder to do less.
    — Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
  • Yellowing leaves can indicate overwatering, while wrinkled leaves can point to underwatering.
    — Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 8 Feb. 2026
Definition of wrinkled
Adjective
  • Park advocates have long argued that the existing city allocation is inadequate, leaving neighborhoods with decaying recreation centers, deteriorating swimming pools and filthy park bathrooms.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Raman has promised to speed up housing construction, bring back entertainment industry jobs and improve services in a city known for filthy streets, gridlock and an unresponsive City Hall.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of filthy
Adjective
  • Pakistan was untidy in the field too with Sharma getting dropped twice and he should have been run-out before completing his half-century, while captain Shreyas Iyer also got a life when Ayub missed out his second catch.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Pruning isn’t required, but helps shape the plant, boost growth, and prevent leggy, untidy stems.
    — Heather Bien, The Spruce, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of untidy

Browse Nearby Words

unjustness
unkempt
unkept
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Cite this Entry

“Unkempt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unkempt. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

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