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
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.
In an effort to protect taxpayers from potential litigation, jail time and other unsavory outcomes of tax fraud, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Coalition of Scam and Scheme Threats (CASST) released new measures surrounding how to claim the Fuel Tax Credit. Michael Gfoeller and David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 16 Jan. 2025 The unsavory arrangement came to light Sunday, Jan. 12, when a man, identified as 67-year-old Cleo Spence, called the Albany Police Department to have the mom and her children evicted from his home on East Broad Avenue, officials said. Mark Price, Miami Herald, 14 Jan. 2025 Teen Slack: Slack has actually added unsavory content to its platform in an effort to appeal to teens. Jiji Lee, The New Yorker, 7 Jan. 2025 Watson settled the unsavory claims and served a suspension from the league over it. Ryan Gaydos, Fox News, 6 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for unsavory 

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 22 Jan. 2025.

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

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!