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.
Posting on social media, Lib Dem MP Edward Morello wrote: "Unpopular opinion: Move us out permanently. Make it a museum."
From BBC • Jan. 3, 2026
One of two songs Bob Dylan cited as proof of why Buffett was one of his favorite songwriters, “Death of an Unpopular Poet” contains some ties to “He Went to Paris.”
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 2, 2023
Unpopular monarchs could be and were removed if they fell out of favor with either of these groups.
From Textbooks • Apr. 19, 2023
Unpopular opinion: It’s time to put the Champions League trophy away.
From Seattle Times • May 17, 2022
Unpopular with the majority of Americans, it had proved too expensive to enforce.
From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield
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.
