Standard Lemma guide

displeasing

adj · verb · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • /dɪsˈpliːzɪŋ/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Unattractive, dislikable, objectionable.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • After the hurricane, the building was structurally sound but aesthetically displeasing.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

present participle and gerund of displease

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: form-of, gerund, participle, present

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adjective

Meaning 3

causing displeasure or lacking pleasing qualities

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: pleasing

History

Etymology

Perhaps a calque of Old French desplaisant, from the verb desplere (“to displease”). By surface analysis, dis- + pleasing.

Across languages

Translations

6 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Esperanto: malagrabla — unattractive, dislikable, objectionable
  • Finnish: epämiellyttävä — unattractive, dislikable, objectionable
  • Irish: míthaitneamhach — unattractive, dislikable, objectionable
  • Ottoman Turkish: طاتسز (tatsız) — unattractive, dislikable, objectionable
  • Ottoman Turkish: ناخوش (nahoş) — unattractive, dislikable, objectionable
  • Ottoman Turkish: لذتسز (lezzetsiz) — unattractive, dislikable, objectionable