unsavoury

USAGE SUMMARY

'unsavoury' is a correct and usable word in written English.
It typically means something unpleasant or distasteful and can be used both literally and figuratively. Example: The unsavoury details of the scandal were splashed across the front pages of all the newspapers.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

When Barclays was slapped with a £290m fine for rigging Libor, the lid was raised on the unsavoury culture inside the high-street bank's investment banking arm.

The Guardian - Business

Orbán's long-term policy of nationalising energy, however, depends on a rather unsavoury partner: Budapest recently signed a loan agreement with Russia to upgrade a nuclear power plant.

The Guardian - Opinion

The advantage being you can grab a snack there too, everything is under one roof so you are spared the danger of wandering into an unsavoury area and they are usually open later.

The Guardian

I think there is still time for this unsavoury deal between the British and the IRA to be stopped in its tracks.

The Guardian

This despite the deeply unsavoury legacy of the Al-Yamamah bribery scandal, which revealed corruption on a scale previously unheard of in Britain.

The Guardian

Ahead of Eurovision, Amnesty is urging Azerbaijan to address its unsavoury record on human rights.

The Guardian

Blurred Lines was indeed unsavoury but Get Lucky was hardly a shining example in the world of sexual politics.

The Guardian - Music

Labour has turned its back on its traditional values, torn up previously cherished socialist ideals, sidelined the trade union movement, waged an illegal war, tried to impose 42 days' detention without charge, and made unsavoury pacts with big business and George W Bush.

The Guardian - Opinion

A dip into the history of surname change reveals that, at best, its origins are controversial; at worst, they are deeply unsavoury.

The Guardian - Books

Politicians and the public will need to decide soon what they have begun, and what appetite they have for extended interventions far from home, involving painful trade-offs and deals with unsavoury partners.Air strikes alone have a poor record of defeating enemies, especially when they can hide in urban areas.

The Economist

Although it is theoretically still possible that the primaries may yield an inconclusive result, leaving it up to the convention delegates to pick a presidential candidate, in practice the parties are keen to avoid the public bickering and unsavoury deal-making that would entail, so tend to rally around the favourite long beforehand.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "unsavoury" when you want to express a sense of moral distaste or objection to something, not just general unpleasantness. It often implies a lack of integrity or ethical standards.

Common error

Avoid using "unsavoury" when a simpler word like "unpleasant" or "disagreeable" would suffice. "Unsavory" carries a stronger connotation of moral objection and is not appropriate for describing merely unappealing situations.

Linguistic Context

The adjective "unsavoury" primarily functions to qualify nouns, adding a layer of moral judgment or distaste to the description. It indicates that something is not merely unpleasant but also potentially unethical, corrupt, or disreputable, as validated by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

79%

Formal & Business

20%

Science

1%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The adjective "unsavoury" is a grammatically sound and frequently used term, denoting something morally distasteful or objectionable. With a neutral register, it effectively conveys disapproval, predominantly in News & Media and Formal & Business contexts. According to Ludwig, "unsavoury" is a correct and usable word in written English. Related phrases like "distasteful" and "unpleasant" offer similar, yet nuanced alternatives. Remember to employ it judiciously, reserving it for instances where moral objection is genuinely intended, not merely general dislike.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

distasteful

Focuses specifically on the unpleasant taste or disagreeable nature of something, often in a more literal sense.

unpleasant

A general term for something that is not enjoyable or agreeable, lacking the specific moral connotation of "unsavoury".

objectionable

Highlights that something is likely to cause opposition or disapproval, often on moral or ethical grounds.

reprehensible

Emphasizes strong disapproval and condemnation of something, often due to its morally wrong nature.

disreputable

Suggests that something damages the good opinion or reputation of a person or thing.

unseemly

Implies that something is not appropriate or fitting, often in a social or ethical context.

questionable

Indicates that something is of doubtful honesty or propriety.

shady

Informal term suggesting something is of dubious legality or morality.

dubious

Expresses uncertainty or doubt about the quality or propriety of something.

unethical

Specifically addresses violations of moral principles or accepted rules of conduct.

FAQs

How can I use "unsavoury" in a sentence?

You can use "unsavoury" to describe situations, people, or actions that are morally questionable or distasteful. For example, "The deal involved some "unsavoury characters"" or "The details of the scandal were quite "unsavoury"."

What's the difference between "unsavoury" and "unpleasant"?

"Unpleasant" is a general term for something disagreeable. "Unsavory" implies a moral or ethical objection, suggesting something is not just displeasing but also potentially wrong or corrupt.

Are there synonyms for "unsavoury"?

Yes, depending on the context, you could use "distasteful", "objectionable", "reprehensible", or "disreputable".

Is "unsavoury" a formal or informal word?

"Unsavory" is generally considered a neutral to slightly formal word. It is suitable for use in news reports, business documents, and academic writing, as seen in Ludwig examples from The Economist and The Guardian.