unpopular

adjective

un·​pop·​u·​lar ˌən-ˈpä-pyə-lər How to pronounce unpopular (audio)
Synonyms of unpopularnext
: not popular : viewed or received unfavorably by the public
unpopularity
ˌən-ˌpä-pyə-ˈler-ə-tē How to pronounce unpopular (audio)
-ˈla-rə-
noun
unpopularly adverb

Examples of unpopular in a Sentence

I was unpopular in high school. Her third album has been unpopular with fans. Recent conflicts have made him unpopular among the staff.
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.
Giving difficult feedback, navigating conflict, making unpopular decisions, challenging assumptions and standing firm under pressure all require us to do more than analyze information. — Yann Dang, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026 This is only the latest attempt by the administration to obscure the human cost of its unpopular war, said Edith Olmsted in The New Republic. — The Week Us, TheWeek, 3 Aug. 2026 Some of the news coverage here in the West has implied that the protests mean Modi is increasingly unpopular or weak. — Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026 Such talk seemed fanciful until this week, despite long-term unease with Infantino’s style and previous attempts to force through unpopular projects. — Graham Dunbar, Fortune, 2 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unpopular

Word History

First Known Use

1614, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unpopular was in 1614

Rhymes for unpopular

See All Rhymes for unpopular

Browse Nearby Words

unpope
unpopular
unpopulated
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unpopular.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unpopular. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

unpopular

adjective
un·​pop·​u·​lar ˌən-ˈpäp-yə-lər How to pronounce unpopular (audio)
ˈən-
: not popular : disliked by many people
unpopularity
ˌən-ˌpäp-yə-ˈlar-ət-ē How to pronounce unpopular (audio)
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on unpopular

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for unpopular

Nglish: Translation of unpopular for Spanish Speakers

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!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of nurture

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

How long is a jiffy?
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
fridge-magnet-letters
Drop a Letter Quiz August 2026 Drop a letter from a word to make a totally diffe...
See All