unconvincing
Britishadjective
Explanation
Anything that's unconvincing is unlikely or hard to believe. Your unconvincing story about being abducted by aliens probably won't persuade your teacher to give you an extension on your term paper. Your unconvincing impersonation of President Ronald Reagan might sound more like John Wayne, and an unconvincing alibi won't get a suspect off the hook if a detective thinks she's guilty. The adjective unconvincing comes from convince, "cause to believe in the truth of something," and its root that means "to conquer." If you haven't convinced someone of some fact or truth, you've been unconvincing.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
By contrast, Tyson’s subsequent aria revealing his own old trauma is pat and unconvincing.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 2, 2026
Harry Brook's side were unconvincing in wins against minnows Nepal, Scotland and finally Italy, who were making their World Cup debut.
From Barron's • Feb. 20, 2026
The 2022 champions lost comfortably to the only Test-playing side they faced, the West Indies, and were unconvincing in wins against associate nations Nepal, Scotland and Italy.
From Barron's • Feb. 20, 2026
England remain just as confident they can win the T20 World Cup despite their unconvincing group-stage performances, says batter Will Jacks.
From BBC • Feb. 16, 2026
She might be busy, he told himself, although he knew very well how convenient and unconvincing a reason “busy” was.
From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
