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Showing results for undesirable. Search instead for undesirably.
Synonyms

undesirable

American  
[uhn-di-zahyuhr-uh-buhl] / ˌʌn dɪˈzaɪər ə bəl /

adjective

  1. not desirable or attractive; objectionable.

    undesirable qualities.

noun

  1. a person or thing considered undesirable.

    a collection of malcontents and undesirables.
undesirable British  
/ ˌʌndɪˈzaɪərəbəl /

adjective

  1. not desirable or pleasant; objectionable

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. a person or thing that is considered undesirable

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • undesirability noun
  • undesirableness noun
  • undesirably adverb

Etymology

Origin of undesirable

First recorded in 1660–70; un- 1 + desirable

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.

If those numbers are borne out in the real world, most people on GLP-1s may have some kind of undesirable GI effect from them.

From Slate • Mar. 22, 2026

"This is a new way to make a fundamental carbon-carbon bond and that's why the potential impact is so great. It also means chemists can avoid an undesirable and inefficient drug modification process."

From Science Daily • Mar. 14, 2026

Leicester City are the only other members of the undesirable 'Premier League champions to be relegated' club.

From BBC • Mar. 13, 2026

"Speculative reports on militarily sensitive matters are undesirable in light of our security interests... and our relations with key Middle Eastern countries," he said.

From Barron's • Mar. 11, 2026

For the Chinese government, an uncontrolled surge of impoverished Korean refugees is undesirable for several reasons.

From "Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West" by Blaine Harden

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.