unconvincing
Britishadjective
Explanation
Anything that's unconvincing is unlikely or hard to believe. Your unconvincing story about being abducted by aliens probably won't persuade your teacher to give you an extension on your term paper. Your unconvincing impersonation of President Ronald Reagan might sound more like John Wayne, and an unconvincing alibi won't get a suspect off the hook if a detective thinks she's guilty. The adjective unconvincing comes from convince, "cause to believe in the truth of something," and its root that means "to conquer." If you haven't convinced someone of some fact or truth, you've been unconvincing.
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.
FIFA, reeling, sent out an unconvincing update Thursday night, claiming its ambitions have been misrepresented.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
Your argument is not an unconvincing one, I’ll give you that.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 11, 2026
However, there has always been a feeling that unconvincing performances in qualifying would eventually mean the moments would eventually run out.
From BBC ● Jun. 26, 2026
By contrast, Tyson’s subsequent aria revealing his own old trauma is pat and unconvincing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 2, 2026
“Of course it is, mi vida,” said Celia, wiping her eyes with the cloth and putting on an unconvincing smile.
From "The House of the Scorpion" by Nancy Farmer
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.
