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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·seemli·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. |
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