unappetizing

British  

/ ʌnˈæpɪˌtaɪzɪŋ /

adjective

1. (of food) not pleasing or stimulating to the appetite

2. (of a prospect, person, etc) not appealing or attractive

   unappetizing to investors

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Explanation

Anything unappetizing either looks like it would taste terrible or is otherwise unattractive. If the school cafeteria offers only unappetizing mystery meat and limp salad, you'll probably decide to bring a sandwich for lunch. Your personal list of unappetizing things might include black licorice, brussels sprouts, and egg salad. You can also use this adjective for other things that leave you feeling a little queasy, like a relative's unappetizing political convictions or an unappetizing scene in a horror movie that makes you cover your eyes. Unappetizing is what you get when you add the "not" prefix un- to appetizing, which stems from the Latin appetitus, "desiring toward."

Example Sentences

And if you try to look at it, it’s very unappetizing.

From Slate • May 7, 2026

What’s left is a visually unappetizing “Animal Farm” that plays as if someone sloppily traced over a masterpiece.

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026

One reason the FDE model has historically been unappetizing to tech companies is that it’s expensive, D.A.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 4, 2026

Analysts say the high investment required to rebuild Venezuela's crumbling oil rigs would be unappetizing for US firms, given the steady global supply and low prices.

From Barron's • Dec. 22, 2025

Milo looked around at everyone busily stuffing himself and then back at his own unappetizing plate.

From "The Phantom Tollbooth" by Norton Juster

Related Words

• insipid
• unappealing
• unattractive
• uninteresting
• unpalatable
• unpleasant
• unsavory