unseemly
Americanadjective
-
not seemly; not in keeping with established standards of taste or proper form; unbecoming or indecorous in appearance, speech, conduct, etc..
an unseemly act; unseemly behavior.
- Synonyms:
- inappropriate, unbefitting
-
inappropriate for time or place.
an unseemly hour.
adverb
adjective
-
not in good style or taste; unbecoming
-
obsolete unattractive
adverb
Related Words
See improper.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of unseemly
Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; see origin at un- 1, seemly
Explanation
Something that is inappropriate or unacceptable behavior is unseemly. It's a gentler, somewhat nicer word for "inappropriate" than its synonyms, the "in" words: "indecent, indecorous, indelicate, inelegant, inept" — well, you get the idea. Knowing that the "un-" prefix turns a word into its opposite, you'll see that unseemly means "not seemly." Let's look at that word (which is related to our verb seem), because it carries the real meaning. Seemly goes back to around 1200, to the Old Norse word soemr, "fitting, becoming." The negative "un-" was added in the early 14th century to denote the opposite meaning. "Seems" to make sense, doesn’t it?
Vocabulary lists containing unseemly
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "U"
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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.
Unseemly as the deal appears from many angles, it hasn’t kept Tesla’s stock from soaring, and Musk made a persuasive enough case that solar energy remains a plausible long-term bet for the company.
From Washington Post • Jul. 16, 2021
Unseemly squabbling among them tarnishes the luster of the brand.
From New York Times • Nov. 4, 2017
Unseemly as it may have been, the McDonnells' alleged corruption is pretty small beer.
From Slate • Jan. 30, 2014
Unseemly haste," she murmured, "for so dignified a person.
From Amy in Acadia A Story for Girls by Reed, Helen Leah
Unseemly it were to me to show myself sluttish before these lords; let me find time for a bath at least.
From The Water of the Wondrous Isles by Morris, William
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.
