unpleasantry

[ uhn-plez-uhn-tree ]

noun

, plural un·pleas·ant·ries.

1. an unpleasant word, action, comment, etc.:

   comments filled with unpleasantries.

Word History and Origins

Origin of unpleasantry¹

First recorded in 1820–30; un- ¹ + pleasantry

Example Sentences

The brilliance of “Stranger Things 4” is that rather than gloss over the unpleasantry, it leans hard into their clumsy, painful transition.

From Los Angeles Times

I still believe the deal will get done with the Seahawks, and this absence is an unpleasantry that will be quickly forgotten.

From Seattle Times

Gina: Yeah, it was a cheap shot, an unpleasantry, yadda yadda, sure, except maybe we should remember that The Washington Post has won a lot of Pulitzer Prizes for getting things right, I am just saying.

From Washington Post

The latest inescapable unpleasantry for anyone who’s chosen to participate in our great digital society — more specifically, the 500 million human beings on this planet who use iTunes.

From Washington Post

“Being nice to each other is really not that hard. When you’re stuck in some unpleasantry in flying and you reach out and do something kind, you’ll feel better about that horrible situation. It helps to get outside of yourself.”

From New York Times

Related Words

• abuse
• affront
• blasphemy
• contempt
• disgrace
• disrespect
• indignity
• invective
• libel
• outrage
• put-down
• scorn
• shame
• slander
• slap
• slight
• snub
• taunt