UNSTYLISH Synonyms: 86 Similar and Opposite Words

unstylish

adjective

ˌən-ˈstī-lish

Definition of unstylish

as in inappropriate

marked by an obvious lack of style or good taste chose a bizarrely unstylish hairstyle for the Halloween party

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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 unstylish Hoka Women’s Kaha 2 GTX Waterproof Hiking Boots Hiking boots don’t need to be frumpy and unstylish—just look at this adorable pair that’s now up to 59 percent off just in time for the Fourth of July. — Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 5 July 2025 The piece is an antique that wasn't fashionable for many decades, but many jewels once considered fussy or unstylish have now been embraced again. — Stephanie Petit, Peoplemag, 8 Dec. 2023 Slippery soles, cold toes, and unstylish footwear should be avoided at all costs. — Roxanne Adamiyatt, Town & Country, 29 Dec. 2022 The alternative of using a single mirror would require a thick lens—resulting in bulky, unstylish AR glasses. — Ari Grobman, Forbes, 19 July 2022

Recent Examples of Synonyms for unstylish

Adjective

The Portland Trail Blazers fired new play-by-play television broadcaster Braiden Bell on Thursday when past inappropriate social media posts resurfaced just hours after the team announced his hiring.

— ABC News, ABC News, 2 Oct. 2026
Sheriff’s officials said, investigators as of Thursday had not uncovered evidence indicating Chen had inappropriate physical contact with a child.

— Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of inappropriate

Adjective

The very characteristics that made blue-collar businesses unfashionable, their physicality and labor intensity, are now their defensive moat.

— Gustaf Lundberg Toresson, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026
As one Ithacan subject fondly recalls, Odysseus always had an unfashionable belief in playing fair.

— Justin Chang, New Yorker, 17 July 2026

Definition of unfashionable

Adjective

And the religious character of this language is by no means unsuitable to this project of science that was bathed in biblical metaphors from the get-go—Code name Trinity, to cite just one example.

— Artforum, Artforum, 28 Sep. 2026
Like other foods, bird seed is perishable and will spoil if it’s kept in unsuitable conditions.

— Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 27 Sep. 2026

Definition of unsuitable

Adjective

Get rid of that dowdy old boob light for good and hang any of these beautiful alternative light fixtures instead.

— Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Aug. 2026
Like sparks igniting, the result is a piece that feels alive with energy rather than a dowdy relic of the past.

— Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 17 May 2026

Definition of dowdy

Adjective

British police acknowledged applying for the warrants under the wrong statutory provision, the judge said while stipulating that the misconduct investigation against the king's brother could continue.

— Steve Hendrix, Washington Post, 8 Oct. 2026
Doctors in Tennessee and Republican state senators called for the state to pause executions, because the chances of one going catastrophically wrong were so high.

— Maya Foa, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of wrong

Adjective

Holzinger jumps into the tank, her movements inelegant and panicked, and pulls Nüganen out.

— Lauren Oyler, New Yorker, 20 July 2026
One of the more revealing patterns to emerge from the category is something known as zebra striping, a perhaps inelegant term, but a quick phrase to show the shift in highly intelligent consumer behaviour.

— Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026

Definition of inelegant

Adjective

But the stage that Springer cultivated was a gleeful one, a tacky spectacle of shock and depravity, an ungodly home for the freaks who knew just what to do when the lights came on.

— Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026
South Africa also included two specialist spinner Bjorn Fortuin and Keshav Maharaj with the tacky wicket expected to suit slow bowlers later in the game.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of tacky

Browse Nearby Words

unstuffy

unstylish

unsubdued

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“Unstylish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unstylish. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of unstylish

adjective

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