Unholy: meaning, definitions and examples

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unholy

 

[ ʌnˈhoʊli ]

Adjective
Context #1 | Adjective

religious

Not holy; wicked; sinful; impious; as, unholy words; conduct unholy.

Synonyms

impious, profane, sinful, wicked

Examples of usage

  • He was punished for his unholy actions.
  • She felt guilty for her unholy thoughts.
  • The unholy act shocked the community.
  • The unholy alliance between the two criminal organizations was dangerous.
  • The unholy war resulted in many casualties.
Context #2 | Adjective

general

Unacceptable according to social or moral standards; contrary to what is considered sacred or pure.

Synonyms

disrespectful, improper, inappropriate, unacceptable

Examples of usage

  • The unholy mess left by the vandals was heartbreaking.
  • The unholy noise coming from the construction site was unbearable.
  • The unholy smell of the landfill polluted the entire area.

Translations

Translations of the word "unholy" in other languages:

🇵🇹 ímpio

🇮🇳 अपवित्र

🇩🇪 unheilig

🇮🇩 tidak suci

🇺🇦 нечестивий

🇵🇱 nieświęty

🇯🇵 不浄

🇫🇷 impie

🇪🇸 impío

🇹🇷 kutsal olmayan

🇰🇷 불경스러운

🇸🇦 غير مقدس

🇨🇿 neposvátný

🇸🇰 nesvätý

🇨🇳 不圣洁

🇸🇮 nesveteč

🇮🇸 vanheilagur

🇰🇿 қасиетсіз

🇬🇪 უპატიო

🇦🇿 müqəddəs olmayan

🇲🇽 impío

Etymology

The word 'unholy' originated in Middle English, derived from the Old English 'unhālīc'. The prefix 'un-' denotes negation, while 'hāl' means 'whole, sound, healthy'. Over time, 'unholy' evolved to encompass both religious and general contexts, reflecting actions or attributes that are sinful, impious, or socially/morally unacceptable.

See also: holily, holiness, holy, unholiness.

Word Frequency Rank

With rank #19,525, this word belongs to specialized vocabulary. While not common in everyday speech, it enriches your ability to express complex ideas.