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.
“Understanding these taxes can prevent unpleasant surprises when it’s time to pay those property-tax assessments,” Ringbauer said.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 15, 2026
Each of these viruses comes with a raft of symptoms ranging from unpleasant to, in some cases, fatal—fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, shock, organ failure.
From Slate ● Aug. 4, 2026
"Overall, you're talking about 3% of people will get a brain infection complication and 97% of people will have either no symptoms or have this relatively short-lived, albeit unpleasant, severe flu-like phase," he said.
From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2026
Within a few short weeks, an ongoing outbreak of Cyclospora, a foodborne parasite that can contaminate raw fruits and vegetables — and lead to several unpleasant gastrointestinal symptoms — has fueled a nationwide panic.
From Salon ● Jul. 25, 2026
Violet said, but just as she said it, one of the telephones rang, in a loud, unpleasant wail.
From "The Bad Beginning" by Lemony Snicket
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.
