unpopular
Americanadjective
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not popular; disliked or ignored by the public or by persons generally.
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in disfavor with a particular person or group of persons.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of unpopular
Explanation
When something is unpopular, it means most people don't like it, like a school lunch that nobody wants to eat or a TV show that nobody watches. Empty theaters and poor reviews indicate that a movie is unpopular. A politician with low approval ratings is unpopular and probably won't be reelected. Unpopular opinions are those that are not widely accepted or well-received. The word unpopular indicates a lack of favor or acceptance that can lead to rejection of products, ideas, and sometimes even people.
Vocabulary lists containing unpopular
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.
Ruto is "clearly very unpopular with many Kenyans, especially the Gen Z" youngsters, said political analyst Gabrielle Lynch.
From Barron's • Jun. 25, 2026
The company’s AI models are relatively unpopular with U.S. businesses, according to Ramp data, and just a fifth of its monthly active users had used AI features as of March 31, according to the company.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 16, 2026
His first task was to help implement the unpopular Prices & Incomes Act, which sought to hold down wages to curb inflation.
From BBC • Jun. 14, 2026
He faced an unpopular incumbent in Mayor Karen Bass.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026
Back when Jason was a centurion, his cohort always got the unpopular chore of clearing out their nests.
From "Blood of Olympus" by Rick Riordan
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.
