unattractive
Britishadjective
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not appealing to the senses or mind through beauty, form, character, etc
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not arousing interest
an unattractive proposition
Explanation
Unattractive means "unappealing" or "ugly." The cake you baked for you best friend's birthday may be lopsided and unattractive, but she won't care if it tastes delicious. It's not very nice to describe people as unattractive — you're basically saying they're not pretty or handsome. But inanimate objects can also be unattractive if they're not pleasant to look at, like the unattractive cactus on your coffee table. And other things are unattractive because they offer no benefits or advantages: "I wanted that job until he offered me an unattractive salary."
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.
Spaeny: I’m finding ambition more and more unattractive these days.
From Los Angeles Times • May 27, 2026
"The distances, political complexity, and cost make it unattractive against LNG tankers in normal conditions, and normal conditions are what pipeline economics are built on."
From Barron's • May 1, 2026
They say that it is very unlikely that dead animals were transported, and the bones are unattractive suggesting they were not decorative or used in craft.
From BBC • Feb. 16, 2026
If the dollar is unattractive as a portfolio hedge, the more incentive there is to reduce dollar exposure.
From MarketWatch • Feb. 12, 2026
“Nowhere! Who would want such unattractive things lying about?”
From "The Interrupted Tale" by Maryrose Wood
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.
