unholy

American  

[uhn-hoh-lee] / ʌnˈhoʊ li /

adjective

unholier, unholiest

1. not holy; not sacred or hallowed.

2. impious; sinful; wicked.

3. Informal. dreadful; ungodly.

   They got us out of bed at the unholy hour of three in the morning.

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unholy British  

/ ʌnˈhəʊlɪ /

adjective

1. not holy or sacred

2. immoral or depraved

3. informal outrageous or unnatural

   an unholy alliance

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Other Word Forms

• unholiness noun

Etymology

Origin of unholy

before 1000; Middle English; Old English unhālig (cognate with Dutch onheilig, Old Norse ūheilagr ). See un- ¹, holy

Example Sentences

At times, when throws were pilfered or just launched over the back with no jumper and seemingly no communication, it was an unholy mess.

From BBC

A God’s-eye view captures sparks and flames tearing a circle around his unholy play.

From Salon

As they fell to a dour defeat in Braga, they completed the unholy trinity of scoring an own goal, missing a penalty and receiving a red card.

From BBC

Another opponent, Lord Patten, branded the bill an "unholy legislative mess" that he said could lead to death becoming the "default solution to perceived suffering".

From BBC

Now one of Egypt's most sacred places - revered by Jews, Christians and Muslims - is at the heart of an unholy row over plans to turn it into a new tourism mega-project.

From BBC