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Synonyms

unbuttoned

American  
[uhn-buht-nd] / ʌnˈbʌt nd /

adjective

  1. not buttoned.

  2. Informal. free, open, or informal; unrestrained.

    unbuttoned humor.
unbuttoned British  
/ ʌnˈbʌtənd /

adjective

  1. with buttons not fastened

  2. informal uninhibited; unrestrained

    hours of unbuttoned self-revelation
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of unbuttoned

First recorded in 1575–85; un- 1 + buttoned ( def. )

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.

Inside, Beshear was seated before an unlit fireplace, legs crossed, shirt collar unbuttoned, looking like the pleasantly unassuming Dad in a store-bought picture frame.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 1, 2026

She was spotted on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon earlier this year wearing a black dress and heels, while her husband showed up in ripped jeans and an unbuttoned shirt.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 9, 2025

Sweat, who is 70, has a golfer’s tan, flinty eyes, and a shirt unbuttoned just a little too far.

From Slate • Nov. 6, 2025

Mr Brand did not speak to reporters and looked straight ahead as he entered the court building wearing a dark suit and unbuttoned shirt.

From BBC • May 30, 2025

He unbuttoned and rebuttoned the neck of his shirt.

From "Son" by Lois Lowry

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.