unseemly
pronunciation
How to pronounce unseemly in British English:
UK [ʌnˈsiːmli]
How to pronounce unseemly in American English:
US [ʌnˈsiːmli]
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- Adjective:
- not in keeping with accepted standards of what is right or proper in polite society
Word Origin
- unseemly (adj.)
- early 14c., "unfitting, indecent," from un- (1) "not" + seemly (adj.). Similar formation in Old Norse usoemiligr. Related: Unseemliness.
Synonym
Antonym
Example
- 1. This latest outbreak of unseemly penny-pinching is symptomatic of a governmental tin ear when it comes to the armed forces .
- 2. Instead it often seems lost in unseemly rearguard actions to preserve a fading status .
- 3. Besides plenty of titillation , these included claims that the prime minister had acted in ways that were not just unseemly but illicit .
- 4. But it is not only unseemly for wealthy europeans to be looking for alms from china , it is bad policy .
- 5. Until 2007 , the gic tended to assume that it would never need to engage in asset firesales or unseemly investment exits .