unwelcome
Britishadjective
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(of persons) not welcome
-
causing dissatisfaction or displeasure
Other Word Forms
Explanation
Things that are unwelcome are unpleasant or objectionable in some way. An unwelcome guest is one you didn't invite and you're not particularly happy to see. People are sometimes unwelcome, like your boring cousin who shows up unexpectedly for a long visit at the worst time. Things can also be unwelcome, like bad news or heckling from the audience during your stand-up comedy routine. Anything you don't wish for and don't appreciate can be described as unwelcome. Welcome has its roots in the Old English wilcuma, a friendly greeting and earlier "a welcome guest," from willa, "pleasure or choice," and cuma, "guest."
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.
As temperature soared and Angelenos wilted on Sunday, forecasters had an unwelcome message: Another week of heat is coming.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 23, 2026
You have to wonder how the Generals’ unwelcome win would be remembered if it had hurt the Globetrotters’ gate receipts.
From Salon ● Aug. 19, 2026
This can be an unwelcome surprise, especially for people moving from an apartment to a house.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 15, 2026
The standoff brought unwelcome attention to the company ahead of its IPO.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
I could feel, like some sort of mist that hung in the air, that I was unwelcome.
From "The Book of Unknown Americans" by Cristina Henríquez
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.
