unkempt

[ uhn-kempt ]

adjective

1. not combed:

   unkempt hair.

2. uncared-for or neglected; disheveled; messy:

   unkempt clothes; an unkempt lawn.

3. unpolished; rough; crude.

unkempt

/ ʌnˈkɛmpt /

adjective

1. (of the hair) uncombed; dishevelled
2. ungroomed; slovenly

   unkempt appearance

3. archaic.
   crude or coarse

Derived Forms

• unˈkemptness, noun
• unˈkemptly, adverb

Other Words From

• un·kemptly adverb
• un·kemptness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of unkempt¹

1590–1600; variant of unkembed; un- ¹, kempt

Word History and Origins

Origin of unkempt¹

Old English uncembed; from un- ¹+ cembed, past participle of cemban to comb ; related to Old Saxon kembian, Old High German kemben to comb

Example Sentences

The unkempt podcasters won’t lose their audiences; the racist memes won’t fall out of fashion; the people who think that 5G wireless is a Democrat plot to scramble their brains aren’t going to suddenly sober up and start taking their cues from Ezra Klein.

From Slate

A small-framed young Latino kid named Sam was in the left containment cage, and Mike, a frail, elderly Black man with an unkempt gray beard was to my right.

From Slate

Japan's government has admitted an official photo of its new cabinet was manipulated to make members look less unkempt after online speculation that it had been edited.

From BBC

His appearance is changing too, an unkempt beard and dirty clothes a far cry from his polished morning TV look.

From BBC

That same call may be shaping the resurgence of beards in the United States after a long phase in which they were seen as unkempt and unprofessional.

From Salon

Related Words

• bedraggled
• dilapidated
• disheveled
• grubby
• grungy
• messy
• neglected
• rumpled
• scruffy
• shaggy