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.
Adding too much potassium salt can produce an unpleasant metallic taste, limiting how much can be used without affecting flavor.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 2, 2026
Ultimately, I’m sorry a generous and happy moment in your life is being revisited in such an unpleasant way.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 2, 2026
Then again, maybe Harris, who is unpleasant, will just lose on his own terms.
From Slate ● Oct. 24, 2026
In real life, he prefers to delegate the unpleasant task to an underling.
From Salon ● Oct. 17, 2026
But the unpleasant parts feel worth it, because most of the time, I love it.
From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
