ungracious
Americanadjective
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discourteous; ill-mannered.
ungracious behavior.
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unpleasant; disagreeable; unrewarding.
an ungracious task.
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ungraceful; unpleasing.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of ungracious
Middle English word dating back to 1175–1225; see origin at un- 1, gracious
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.
But the tournament will also be remembered for a classless and churlish Argentina, which forever stained itself with a thuggish performance in the game and an ungracious one afterward.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026
While Osaka lost to Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko in the final, then drew criticism for seemingly being ungracious in defeat, she has carried the momentum into the US Open.
From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2025
She worries — without making any accusations — that the newly implemented rules, and their announcement, were ungracious.
From Washington Post ● Mar. 3, 2022
Indeed, while the first Adams may have been ungracious by skipping Jefferson's inauguration, he did something of tremendous historical consequence by handing over power at all.
From Salon ● Jan. 11, 2021
Neeley disapproved and muttered an ungracious, “You’re welcome,” to her thanks.
From "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith
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.
