disagreeable

Everyday

1. Unpleasant, not nice to experience, as in «a disagreeable smell». tree →
2. Unfriendly, bad-tempered and hard to get on with, as in «a disagreeable old man». tree →

In the lessons

In stories, especially classic children's books, a «disagreeable» character is grumpy and rude, like Mary in «The Secret Garden» at the start. In everyday life it is a slightly formal or old-fashioned way to say «nasty» or «grumpy».

Examples

• The cheese had a disagreeable smell. tree →
• Mary was a disagreeable child who scowled at everyone. tree →
• It was a disagreeable job to clean out the drains. tree →
• The weather turned cold and disagreeable. tree →
• He was disagreeably rude to the waiter. tree →
• Being tired can make anyone a bit disagreeable. tree →
• It is so disagreeable to be hurried. tree →

Note

Opposite: «agreeable» (pleasant). It does not mean «disagreeing»; a person who often disagrees is not necessarily disagreeable. Spelling: «dis» + «agree» + «able».