unlovely

[ uhn-luhv-lee ]

adjective

1. not lovely; without beauty or charm.
2. harsh or repellent in character; unpleasant; disagreeable; objectionable.

unlovely

/ ʌnˈlʌvlɪ /

adjective

1. unpleasant in appearance
2. unpleasant in character

Derived Forms

• unˈloveliness, noun

Other Words From

• un·loveli·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of unlovely¹

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; un- ¹, lovely

Example Sentences

It made for an unlovely municipal symbol, soaring but hardly graceful: the 800-foot-tall Soviet-era television tower that was for decades a familiar signature in the skyline of Ukraine’s second-largest city, Kharkiv.

From Los Angeles Times

One of the two optimistic stories goes under the unlovely name of the “nonlinear Phillips curve.”

From Seattle Times

From its muted, unlovely color palette to its tightly controlled performances, everything it shows us is placed in rigorous service of brilliantly cascading questions and ideas: What are the cost and value of forgiveness?

From Los Angeles Times

The point was, Poe deserved better; the most interesting plants do grow in the shade, unlovely and unloved.

From Salon

Even if we didn’t have measurements, this would be obvious: Gas stoves burn gas, and combustion produces carbon monoxide, fine particulate matter and other unlovely byproducts you don’t want in your house.

From Washington Post