What does "unattractive" mean?
An aesthetically unattractive person
Unattractive
adj, noun
adj, noun ·4 syllables ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: An aesthetically unattractive person
- Grammar: unattractive is listed as adj, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: anti aesthetics, beautiless, bitter, blemished.
- Useful contrasts: attractive, sexy, addictive.
- Usage evidence: According to a Cornell University study, unattractive defendants are 22 percent more likely to be convicted than good-looking ones.
How to use "unattractive"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "unattractive" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "unattractive" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "unattractive" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "unattractive" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "unattractive" is acting as adj, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "anti aesthetics" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "unattractive", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 An aesthetically unattractive person
Adjective
- 1 Not handsome or beautiful or appealing.
"All three parallel valleys of the Llynvi, Garw and Ogmore are much the same in physical character: the lower reaches are wooded and not unattractive, but as the railway climbs on ever-steepening grades, the hills on either hand grow barer and closer together, while in all respects the scene becomes more sombre, with the terraced, slate-roofed colliery towns and the road, railway and river all struggling for space in the narrowing defiles."
- 2 Lacking the power to attract interest.
"Investors face a quandary. Cash offers a return of virtually zero in many developed countries; government-bond yields may have risen in recent weeks but they are still unattractive. Equities have suffered two big bear markets since 2000 and are wobbling again. It is hardly surprising that pension funds, insurers and endowments are searching for new sources of return."
Adjective
- 1 lacking beauty or charm wordnet
- 2 lacking power to arouse interest wordnet
- 3 not appealing to the senses wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"According to a Cornell University study, unattractive defendants are 22 percent more likely to be convicted than good-looking ones."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "unattractive"?
Common synonyms include: anti aesthetics, beautiless, bitter, blemished, blotted, cacophonic.
How do you use "unattractive" in a sentence?
According to a Cornell University study, unattractive defendants are 22 percent more likely to be convicted than good-looking ones.
Etymology
From un- + attractive.