unsightly
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of unsightly
late Middle English word dating back to 1375–1425; see origin at un- 1, sightly
Explanation
Unsightly is a gentler way of saying ugly. Often something that is described as unsightly sticks out like a sore thumb in an otherwise attractive environment. A yard full of weeds and broken-down cars in a well-groomed neighborhood is unsightly. Magazine advertisements highlight products that promise to remove or hide unsightly blemishes and scars, restoring your skin to its previous beauty.
Vocabulary lists containing unsightly
100 Words Every Middle Schooler Should Know
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Essential Academic Vocabulary for Middle School Students, List 3
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Chains
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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.
And, yes, I guess I can take credit — or accept blame — for making Unsightly Big Blue Tarps and Left-Lane Campers part of the local lexicon.
From Seattle Times • Sep. 5, 2021
Unsightly thrashings by the vastly superior of the hopelessly under-resourced remain a thing at World Cups.
From The Guardian • Oct. 18, 2019
Unsightly collars on all those predators might well diminish the romance, but that would be a small price to pay for the pleasure of their enduring company on this earth.
From New York Times • Mar. 11, 2016
Unsightly mudflats now line the shore where water once lapped.
From Slate • Sep. 17, 2013
Unsightly as they are, however, these obstacles in no wise affect the popularity of the Via Margutta, either as a residence for the artist, or a lounge for the amateur.
From Walks in Rome by Hare, Augustus J. C.
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.
