unsavory

adjective

un·​sa·​vory ˌən-ˈsā-və-rē How to pronounce unsavory (audio)
-ˈsāv-rē
1
2
a
: unpleasant to taste or smell
b
: disagreeable, distasteful
an unsavory assignment
especially : morally offensive
unsavory business practices

Examples of unsavory in a Sentence

He is an unsavory character. an unsavory blend of spices that simply overwhelmed the fish's delicate flavor
Recent Examples on the Web Walk away from unsavory situations and toward people who offer new possibilities. Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 2 Mar. 2024 Next in line is one of the more unsavory creatures on the list. Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 29 Feb. 2024 The statement will be unsavory for frugal streamers who have recently endured price hikes from Netflix and other streaming services. Scharon Harding, Ars Technica, 24 Jan. 2024 In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, the HGTV star opens up about what didn't make the final edit of his new memoir-meets-self-help-guide, including a lot more unsavory face-offs while growing up in a tough neighborhood in Southern California. Mackenzie Schmidt, Peoplemag, 4 Feb. 2024 If that is too unsavory, Biden can look to Ronald Reagan’s record. The Editors, National Review, 29 Jan. 2024 With Marks, Hamm has been cast as a man of another moment, though there’s a similar tension at play between the actor’s undeniable visual appeal and the more unsavory qualities obscured by it. Alison Herman, Variety, 12 Dec. 2023 Without getting into too much detail, some very unsavory things have been said and done. Roxane Gay, New York Times, 22 Dec. 2023 The tumultuous developments this year left Russia in a lurch and scrambling at times for allies, munitions and soldiers to keep the war effort going; meanwhile, Ukraine failed to make the gains that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had promised, forcing a switch to more unsavory tactics. Peter Aitken, Fox News, 20 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'unsavory.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of unsavory was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near unsavory

Cite this Entry

“Unsavory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unsavory. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

unsavory

adjective
un·​sa·​vory ˌən-ˈsāv(-ə)-rē How to pronounce unsavory (audio)
ˈən-
1
: having little or no taste
2
: having a bad taste or smell
3
: morally bad

More from Merriam-Webster on unsavory

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