unseemly
Americanadjective
-
not seemly; not in keeping with established standards of taste or proper form; unbecoming or indecorous in appearance, speech, conduct, etc..
an unseemly act; unseemly behavior.
- Synonyms:
- inappropriate, unbefitting
-
inappropriate for time or place.
an unseemly hour.
adverb
adjective
-
not in good style or taste; unbecoming
-
obsolete unattractive
adverb
Synonym Usage
See improper.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of unseemly
Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; see origin at un- 1, seemly
Explanation
Something that is inappropriate or unacceptable behavior is unseemly. It's a gentler, somewhat nicer word for "inappropriate" than its synonyms, the "in" words: "indecent, indecorous, indelicate, inelegant, inept" — well, you get the idea. Knowing that the "un-" prefix turns a word into its opposite, you'll see that unseemly means "not seemly." Let's look at that word (which is related to our verb seem), because it carries the real meaning. Seemly goes back to around 1200, to the Old Norse word soemr, "fitting, becoming." The negative "un-" was added in the early 14th century to denote the opposite meaning. "Seems" to make sense, doesn’t it?
Vocabulary lists containing unseemly
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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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.
See Examples For:
Some commentators thought it unseemly of Greenspan to be kibitzing from the sidelines while his less-celebrated successor was trying to develop his own style and policies.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 22, 2026
It only matters to us that Les manages to return Lindy to her former status; his thirst for recognition is represented as pathetic and unseemly.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 8, 2026
After unwisely divulging the unseemly conversation to Ruth, Leigh moves to defense: “He’s not an adult. He’s an actor.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 19, 2026
The unseemly fallout between Rodgers and Dermot Desmond spilling into the public domain via Celtic's biggest shareholder's statement was so box office it sucked up most of the oxygen in the wake of Monday's news.
From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2025
Husband was too serious a word, and it would have been unseemly of me to call him by his name.
From "Homeless Bird" by Gloria Whelan
Hales's transfer led to one of the unseemliest scenes ever enacted in the somber corridors of the Agriculture Department.
From Time Magazine Archive
The rollicking tune of it shouted into the night, into the stately stillness that surrounded the old house, had the abruptest, unseemliest effect.
From Helbeck of Bannisdale — Volume I by Ward, Humphry, Mrs.
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.
