unwelcome

unwelcome — adjective

1. used to describe something that arrives, happens, or appears and that you do not

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

used to describe something that arrives, happens, or appears and that you do not want because it causes trouble, sadness, or discomfort

Example

The new office rules brought unwelcome changes that nobody liked.

collocation: unwelcome changes

Rashida got an unwelcome phone call early on Saturday morning.

attributive use before a noun

Common collocations
  • unwelcome news
  • unwelcome visitor
  • unwelcome surprise
  • unwelcome change
  • unwelcome attention
Synonyms
  • unwanted

    stronger focus on not being desired, often for objects or people

  • unpleasant

    more general; does not imply arrival or occurrence

  • disagreeable

    more formal; describes something that causes annoyance

Antonyms
  • welcome

    received with pleasure or gladness

  • wanted

    desired or wished for

Grammar Patterns

unwelcome + noun

be + unwelcome

Usage Note

Commonly paired with nouns for events, news, or visitors that cause discomfort or disappointment.

Common Mistakes

The weather felt unwelcome today.
The weather was unpleasant today.
Unwelcome describes something that arrives or happens, not a general state or feeling.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

While all four words describe something negative, they differ in connotation and use. Unwelcome focuses on something that arrives or happens and causes discomfort — it is often about events, news, or visitors. Unwanted emphasizes that something is not desired, often used for objects, situations, or even people (an unwanted gift, an unwanted pregnancy). Unpleasant is the most general term for anything that causes dislike or displeasure, from weather to food to behavior. Disagreeable is more formal and often describes a person’s mood or manner. Unwelcomed is less common and specifically refers to someone who was not greeted with warmth. For example: ‘The unwelcome news arrived by email’ (unwelcome focuses on the event), while ‘She found the old sofa unwanted’ (unwanted focuses on lack of desire).

unwanted ↗unpleasant ↗disagreeable ↗unwelcomed

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • unwelcome turn of events

Etymology

Proto-GermanicOld EnglishEnglish

Unwelcome combines the Old English prefix un- ('not') with welcome, which traces back through Old English wilcuma ('one whose coming is pleasing') to Proto-Germanic *wiljakwumô. The word first appeared in English around 1300.