un·seem·ly

(ŭn-sēm′lē)

adj. un·seem·li·er, un·seem·li·est

1. Not in accord with accepted standards of decency or morality.

2. Not suited to the circumstances; inappropriate: took an unseemly amount of time to complete the project.

3. Unattractive; unsightly: "The point at which the walls of suburban houses meet the lawns is apparently unseemly and must be covered up with these stunted trees" (Amy Benson).

adv.

In an improper or inappropriate manner.

un·seem′li·ness n.

Synonyms: unseemly, improper, unbecoming, indelicate, indecent, indecorous
These adjectives mean not in keeping with accepted standards of what is right or proper. What is unseemly reflects badly on one's manners or morals: an unseemly outburst; married in unseemly haste. Improper often refers to unethical conduct, a breach of etiquette, or morally offensive behavior: improper business practices; improper behavior at the dinner table. Unbecoming suggests what is beneath the standard implied by one's character or position: language unbecoming to an officer. Indelicate suggests immodesty, coarseness, or tactlessness: indelicate barnyard humor; an indelicate reference to the senator's family troubles. Indecent refers to what is considered crude or vulgar, especially with regard to sexual impropriety or sexually explicit material: an indecent proposal; indecent programming. Indecorous implies violation of propriety or decorum: an exposé of the author's indecorous past.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

unseemly

(ʌnˈsiːmlɪ)

adj

1. not in good style or taste; unbecoming

2. obsolete unattractive

adv

rare in an unseemly manner

unˈseemliness n

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

un•seem•ly

(ʌnˈsim li)

adj. , -li•er, -li•est,
adv. adj.

1. not seemly; not in keeping with accepted standards of taste or proper form.

2. inappropriate for time or place.

adv.

3. in an unseemly manner.

[1250–1300]

un•seem′li•ness, n.

syn: See improper.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Adj.

unseemly - not in keeping with accepted standards of what is right or proper in polite society; "was buried with indecent haste"; "indecorous behavior"; "language unbecoming to a lady"; "unseemly to use profanity"; "moved to curb their untoward ribaldry"

indecent, unbecoming, uncomely, untoward, indecorous

improper - not suitable or right or appropriate; "slightly improper to dine alone with a married man"; "improper medication"; "improper attire for the golf course"

unseemly

adjective improper, inappropriate, unsuitable, out of place, undignified, disreputable, unbecoming, unrefined, out of keeping, discreditable, indelicate, in poor taste, indecorous, unbefitting It would be unseemly for judges to receive pay increases.
becoming, seemly, fitting, appropriate, suitable, acceptable, proper, refined, decorous

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

unseemly

adjective

1. Not in keeping with conventional mores:

immodest, improper, indecent, indecorous, indelicate, naughty, unbecoming, unbefitting, untoward.

Idiom: out of line.

2. Not suited to circumstances:

improper, inappropriate, inapt, incongruous, inept, malapropos, unapt, unbecoming, unbefitting, unfit, unsuitable.

Idiom: out of place.

Translations

niestosowny

unseemly

[ʌnˈsiːmlɪ] ADJ (gen) → mal visto; [behaviour] → impropio, indecoroso

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

unseemly

[ʌnˈsiːmli] adj → inconvenant(e)

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

unseemly

adj → unschicklich, ungebührlich

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

unseemly

[ʌnˈsiːmlɪ] adj (pej) → sconveniente, indecoroso/a

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

Possibly in a land of misrule like Thessaly he may be welcomed at first, and the unseemly narrative of his escape will be regarded by the inhabitants as an amusing tale.

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As for the scandal that would befall the Circular Class if the frivolous and unseemly conduct of the Women were imputed to them, and as to the consequent subversion of the Constitution, the Female Sex could not be expected to give a thought to these considerations.

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And once more, the inharmonious and unseemly nature can only tend to disproportion?

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He lies, dressed, across a large unseemly bed, upon a bedstead that has indeed given way under the weight upon it.

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So let me have no more unseemly behaviour from any of you, for I am grown up now to the knowledge of good and evil and understand what is going on, instead of being the child that I have been heretofore.

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And yet we all know that those very people sooner or later have been false to themselves, playing some queer trick, often a most unseemly one.

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Agreeable as their expression was, the young man was shocked that they should reflect so unseemly a picture of the august tribunal before which, at that very moment, her case was being tried.

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Philip saw that he felt he had asked an unseemly question.

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Every face bore almost the same smile, expressing unseemly thoughts about the women.

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He looked fiercely on Hector and said, "Draw near, that you may meet your doom the sooner." Hector feared him not and answered, "Son of Peleus, think not that your words can scare me as though I were a child; I too if I will can brag and talk unseemly; I know that you are a mighty warrior, mightier by far than I, nevertheless the issue lies in the lap of heaven whether I, worse man though I be, may not slay you with my spear, for this too has been found keen ere now."

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The Russian fashion of match-making by the offices if intermediate persons was for some reason considered unseemly; it was ridiculed by every one, and by the princess herself.

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But when he is detected in any unseemly act now, it is my stern practice to cane my writing table in his presence, and even this punishment is almost more than he can bear.

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