Unsmiling: meaning, definitions and examples

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unsmiling

 

[ ʌnˈsmaɪlɪŋ ]

Adjective
Context #1 | Adjective

facial expression

Unsmiling refers to a facial expression that shows no smile, often indicating seriousness, displeasure, or a lack of friendliness. It can describe someone who maintains a neutral or stern face in various situations.

Synonyms

glum, serious, sombre, stern

Examples of usage

  • Her unsmiling demeanor made everyone nervous.
  • He stayed unsmiling during the serious meeting.
  • The unsmiling crowd watched the performance with intensity.

Translations

Translations of the word "unsmiling" in other languages:

🇵🇹 sem sorriso

🇮🇳 बिना मुस्कान

🇩🇪 ernst

🇮🇩 tanpa senyuman

🇺🇦 без усмішки

🇵🇱 bez uśmiechu

🇯🇵 無表情の

🇫🇷 sans sourire

🇪🇸 sin sonreír

🇹🇷 gülümsemeyen

🇰🇷 무표정한

🇸🇦 بدون ابتسامة

🇨🇿 bez úsměvu

🇸🇰 bez úsmevu

🇨🇳 面无表情的

🇸🇮 brez nasmeha

🇮🇸 án brosu

🇰🇿 күлімсімейтін

🇬🇪 გარემო არ გააჩნია

🇦🇿 gülümsəmədən

🇲🇽 sin sonreír

Word origin

The word 'unsmiling' is a compound adjective formed by adding the prefix 'un-' to the base word 'smiling'. The prefix 'un-' is of Old English origin, meaning 'not' or 'opposite of'. The root 'smile' comes from the Middle English 'smilen', which is derived from the Old English 'smylian'. The act of smiling is associated with expressing joy, friendliness, or amusement. Therefore, 'unsmiling' conveys the absence of these emotions or the presence of more serious feelings. The term has been in use in English since at least the 19th century, where it provided a descriptive way to convey a lack of emotion manifested through facial expressions.

Word Frequency Rank

This word's position of #32,051 indicates it's among the more rare English words. While understanding it broadens your vocabulary, focus on more common words first.