disagreeable
Americanadjective
noun
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an unpleasant or repugnant circumstance, attribute, thing, etc..
Bent on being cheerful, he suppressed any mention of the disagreeable in our conversation.
-
disagreeables, the disagreeable aspects of a situation, course of action, etc..
The pleasant features of the arrangement far outweigh the disagreeables.
adjective
-
not likable, esp bad-tempered, offensive, or disobliging
disagreeable remarks
-
not to one's liking; unpleasant
a disagreeable task
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of disagreeable
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English word from Middle French word desagreable. See dis- 1, agreeable
Explanation
If something is disagreeable, it's unpleasant, like the disagreeable smell of your wet sneakers. And if a person is disagreeable, they're rude or irritable, like your disagreeable upstairs neighbor. It's impossible to enjoy anything that's disagreeable, whether it's disagreeable weather that ruins your picnic or a disagreeable sibling who makes every family meal incredibly stressful. The original 14th century definition of this adjective was "not in agreement," while the now-obsolete unagreeable was used to mean "not in accord with one's taste or offensive to the senses."
Vocabulary lists containing disagreeable
Mr. Popper’s Penguins
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"The Witches" by Roald Dahl, Chapters 12–22
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"The Ugly Duckling" by Hans Christian Andersen
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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.
Disagreeable people tend to behave in quarrelsome, cold and selfish ways, and the trait is reasonably stable throughout life.
From The Guardian • Aug. 31, 2020
Disagreeable, arrogant and clueless, Rosenberg is no one’s idea of a quarantine companion.
From Washington Post • Jul. 9, 2020
In the melting pot we call Amur’can, Disagreeable stew has been perkin’, Made from yammering yam With a thick slice of ham And a limp, insignificant gherkin.
From Washington Post • Sep. 7, 2017
In 1750, when he was comfortably into middle age, Benjamin Franklin wrote a humorous piece setting forth “Rules for Making Oneself a Disagreeable Companion.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 8, 2016
“But when I got there,” the first voice continued, “the man said he had no paint, never had. Disagreeable man. All he had were a few colored pencils.”
From "The City of Ember" by Jeanne DuPrau
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.
