unholy

adjective

un·​ho·​ly ˌən-ˈhō-lē How to pronounce unholy (audio)
1
: showing disregard for what is holy : wicked
2
: deserving of censure
an unholy alliance
3
: very unpleasant : god-awful
an unholy mess
unholiness noun

Examples of unholy in a Sentence

Our finances were an unholy mess. They have spent an unholy amount of money on the project.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But as he is penned in place at his desk, Lamb turns to his one reliable weapon, his unholy flatulence, to hatch an escape plan. Scott Tobias, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2025 Portrayed throughout the season as an unholy fool of sorts, free of malice and premeditation and utterly harmless once properly medicated, Ed redeems himself to a certain extent. Judy Berman, Time, 6 Oct. 2025 The real fiends were the ones who perverted science, who attacked this misunderstood giant out of fear, who branded him as something unholy and unworthy to exist, who gave him life but didn’t give him love. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 9 Sep. 2025 There will be many users who don't like the idea of an AI startup or an unholy alliance of venture capital firms owning Chrome. Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 12 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for unholy

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of unholy was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unholy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unholy. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

unholy

adjective
un·​ho·​ly ˌən-ˈhō-lē How to pronounce unholy (audio)
ˈən-
: not holy : profane, wicked
unholiness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on unholy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!