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Meaning & use

unglam

adjective·Advancedinformal

Last updated

UK/ʌnˈɡlæm/
US/ʌnˈɡlæm/

Meanings

  1. adjectivenot comparableinformal

    Not attractive or exciting in a stylish way; dull and ordinary.

    Grammar: Used to describe things or situations that lack glamour. Not usually used before a noun, but can be: an unglam job.

    Patterns

    • be/look/seem unglam
    • something is unglam

    The office party was pretty unglam — just crisps and warm juice.

    She loves the unglam side of science: washing test tubes and recording numbers.

    After the festival, the field looked unglam, covered in mud and litter.

  2. adjectivenot comparableinformal

    Not connected with famous, rich, or fashionable people or places.

    Grammar: Often used before a noun: an unglam neighborhood, an unglam lifestyle.

    Patterns

    • an unglam lifestyle
    • an unglam part of town

    They live in an unglam part of the city, far from the tourist spots.

    His job is unglam, but it pays the bills.

    The documentary shows the unglam reality of backstage work.

Common combinations

pretty unglam
The hotel was pretty unglam, but the staff were friendly.
unglam job
Cleaning sewers is an unglam job, but it's essential.
unglam side of something
He wrote about the unglam side of being a rock star.
look unglam
Without makeup and fancy clothes, she looked unglam but happy.

Synonyms and how they differ

drab
Drab suggests a dull, colorless appearance; unglam focuses more on lack of excitement or style.
unexciting
Unexciting is a general word for anything not interesting; unglam is more about lacking glamour or fashion.
ordinary
Ordinary means normal and not special; unglam often implies a contrast with something more stylish or famous.

Opposites

glamglamorous

Word family

glam noun
Short for glamour; attractive or exciting style.
glamorous adjective
Attractive, exciting, and connected with wealth or fame.
glamorize verb
To make something seem more attractive or exciting than it really is.

Commonly confused: unglam or unglamorous?

unglam vs unglamorous

Unglamorous is the more formal, standard word; unglam is informal and mostly used in speech or casual writing.

Practice

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