unattractive

unattractive — adjective

1. An unattractive person does not give others a pleasing impression through their

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

An unattractive person does not give others a pleasing impression through their face or body — their appearance is not nice to see.

Example

Ayesha felt shy about her appearance because she thought she was unattractive.

pattern: be + unattractive describing a person

The old hotel was dark and unattractive, with peeling paint and cracked tiles.

Common collocations
  • physically unattractive
  • visually unattractive
  • unattractive in appearance
  • unattractive to look at
Synonyms
  • plain

    gentler and more neutral; suggests a simple appearance without negative judgment

  • ugly

    much stronger and more direct; can be hurtful when used about a person

  • unsightly

    usually describes objects or places rather than people; more formal

Antonyms
  • attractive

    direct opposite; describes someone pleasant to look at

  • good-looking

    common informal alternative for pleasant physical appearance

Grammar Patterns

be + unattractive

look / seem / appear + unattractive

find + object + unattractive

Usage Note

Carries a gentler tone than 'ugly' and usually reflects personal judgment. Less harsh when describing a person's overall appearance or style. The comparative forms (more unattractive, less unattractive) are less common than the positive form.

Common Mistakes

She is very unattractive woman.
She is a very unattractive woman.
'unattractive' needs a determiner (a/an/the) before a singular noun.
I think he is more unattractive than his brother.
I think he looks less attractive than his brother.
'more unattractive' sounds unnatural; use 'less attractive' instead.

2. An unattractive idea, offer, or situation does not have the qualities needed to

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

An unattractive idea, offer, or situation does not have the qualities needed to make you want to choose it, accept it, or take part in it.

Example

The job offer was unattractive because the pay was low and the hours were long.

pattern: be + unattractive + because-clause giving reasons

Daichi found the proposal unattractive since it required too much work for little reward.

pattern: find + object + unattractive

Common collocations
  • financially unattractive
  • economically unattractive
  • politically unattractive
  • unattractive option
  • unattractive proposal
  • unattractive prospect
Synonyms
  • unappealing

    very similar in meaning and tone; slightly more common in British English

  • undesirable

    stronger; suggests active dislike rather than simple lack of interest

  • uninviting

    suggests the thing actively discourages interest or approach

Antonyms
  • appealing

    direct opposite; describes something that attracts positive interest

  • tempting

    suggests the offer is hard to refuse; informal tone

Grammar Patterns

be + unattractive + to + noun phrase

find + object + unattractive

seem + unattractive + to-infinitive

Usage Note

Common with nouns describing choices or opportunities (offer, proposal, option, condition, deal). Often followed by 'to' to specify who finds it unappealing. Also used with the to-infinitive pattern: 'an unattractive place to live'.

Common Mistakes

The conditions are unattractive for accept.
The conditions make it unattractive to accept.
use 'make + it + unattractive + to-infinitive' instead of 'for' + bare verb.
The offer is very unattractive. I accepted it anyway.
The offer was unattractive, so I turned it down.
'unattractive' implies the thing was not chosen; the second statement should reflect that.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four describe a lack of physical beauty, but they differ in strength and context. 'Plain' is the gentlest — it suggests a simple, ordinary appearance without negative judgment ('She had a plain face but a warm smile'). 'Unattractive' is slightly stronger, reflecting a personal opinion that the appearance is not pleasing. 'Unsightly' is mostly used for objects or buildings, not people ('an unsightly pile of rubbish'). 'Ugly' is the strongest and can feel hurtful when applied to a person; it carries a clear negative value judgment. 'Homely' in American English is similar to 'plain,' while in British English it means 'cosy and comfortable' — a source of confusion for learners. When describing a person, use 'plain' to be kind, 'unattractive' to be neutral, and avoid 'ugly' unless the tone is deliberately harsh.

plain ↗ugly ↗unsightly ↗homely

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

  • very unattractive
  • rather unattractive
  • quite unattractive
  • somewhat unattractive
  • so unattractive

Phrases

  • unattractive to look at
  • make something unattractive
  • find something unattractive

Prepositions

  • unattractive to
  • unattractive in

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Formed in English by adding the prefix 'un-' (meaning 'not') to 'attractive'. 'Attractive' comes from Latin 'attractus', the past participle of 'attrahere' meaning 'to pull or draw toward', which is made up of 'ad-' ('toward') and 'trahere' ('to pull, draw'). The word entered English in the late 1500s. The negative form 'unattractive' has been in use since the early 1600s.