unpleasant
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of unpleasant
Explanation
Something unpleasant is disagreeable, painful, or annoying in some way. No one likes unpleasant experiences. Since pleasant things are enjoyable in some way, unpleasant things are hard to enjoy. Being in pain is unpleasant. So is being stuck in traffic. It's unpleasant when someone is rude. If your feelings or senses don't like something, it's likely unpleasant. The word pleasant comes from the French plaisir, "to please." If something doesn't please you, it's unpleasant.
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.
Taken as a whole, Drake’s album dump is a deeply unpleasant slog.
From Salon • May 21, 2026
There’s been plenty to distract investors from the unpleasant fact that a vital energy chokepoint has been closed for weeks.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026
The unpleasant part of that trade-off is already happening here; most major U.S. airlines moved in April to increase baggage fees as the price of oil was beginning to exert itself on fares.
From Slate • May 12, 2026
These factors, along with the unpleasant nature of the work, mean keeping workers is difficult.
From BBC • May 4, 2026
It was an unpleasant image, to say the least, and she quickly dispelled it by concentrating on her surroundings.
From "The Hidden Gallery" 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.
