Meaning & use
unsightly
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Meaning
adjectivecomparable
Unpleasant or unattractive to look at.
Grammar: Used before a noun (an unsightly mark) or after a linking verb (the mark was unsightly).
Patterns
- an unsightly [noun]
- look unsightly
- something is unsightly
The old factory left an unsightly scar on the hillside.
She covered the unsightly stain with a large picture.
The rash was unsightly but not painful.
Word forms
| comparative | more unsightly |
|---|---|
| superlative | most unsightly |
Common combinations
- unsightly mess
- The builders left an unsightly mess in the garden.
- unsightly blemish
- He was embarrassed by the unsightly blemish on his nose.
- unsightly scar
- The operation left an unsightly scar on her arm.
- unsightly growth
- An unsightly growth appeared on the tree trunk.
Synonyms and how they differ
- ugly
- Ugly is stronger and more direct; unsightly is more formal and often suggests something that spoils an otherwise pleasant view.
- hideous
- Hideous means extremely ugly and is much stronger than unsightly.
- unattractive
- Unattractive is milder and can also describe things that are not visually pleasing in a general way.
Opposites
Word family
- sightly adjective
- Pleasant to look at; the opposite of unsightly.
- unsightliness noun
- The quality of being unpleasant to look at.
Commonly confused: unsightly or insightful?
unsightly vs insightful
Insightful means showing deep understanding, while unsightly means unpleasant to look at. They sound somewhat similar but have completely different meanings.
Practice
The abandoned building was considered an ______ blot on the neighborhood.
Choose one answer.
Unsightly fits because it describes something unpleasant to look at. Unseemly is about behavior that is inappropriate, not appearance. Insightful and unlikely do not fit the meaning.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “unsightly”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.