un-American

American  

[uhn-uh-mer-i-kuhn] / ˌʌn əˈmɛr ɪ kən /

adjective

1. not American; not characteristic of or proper to the U.S.; foreign or opposed to the characters, values, standards, goals, etc., of the U.S.

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un-American British  

adjective

1. not in accordance with the aims, ideals, customs, etc, of the US

2. against the interests of the US

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un-American Cultural  

1. A term used, primarily by extreme conservatives, to attack principles or practices considered to be at odds with the values of most Americans. Many object to the use of the term on the grounds that it is vague, shortsighted, and intolerant.

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Discover More

The House of Representatives maintained a Committee on Un-American Activities (HUAC) for several years. It was especially known for investigation of alleged communists. (See Alger Hiss.)

Other Word Forms

• un-Americanism
  noun

Etymology

Origin of un-American

An Americanism dating back to 1810–20

Example Sentences

"This notion of restoring truth and sanity is punitive. It's unnecessary. It's un-American, because great countries do not hide from their history. We learn from it," Spears said.

From Barron's • May 17, 2026

It is unseemly, it is childish, and it is thoroughly un-American.

From Slate • Dec. 20, 2025

But one day a close friend upbraided me for shunning Black Friday, insisting that such antisocial tightfistedness was inherently un-American.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 28, 2025

“There’s something very elitist, almost un-American, about it to me.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 23, 2024

There is an un-American secret at the heart of American culture: for a long time, it was preoccupied by class.

From "Class Matters" by The New York Times