unlikeable

Everyday

An unlikeable person or character is hard to like because they are unkind, rude, selfish or unpleasant. tree →

In the lessons

Used in book reviews and stories about characters: «an unlikeable hero», «an unlikeable villain». It tells the reader how we feel about a character.

Examples

• The main character was so selfish that he was unlikeable. tree →
• Mr Twit is an unlikeable man who plays nasty tricks. tree →
• Some readers found the princess unlikeable at first. tree →
• She was rude and bossy, which made her unlikeable. tree →
• A good writer can make an unlikeable character interesting. tree →
• By the end of the book, the unlikeable boy had changed. tree →

Note

Two spellings: «unlikeable» (more British) and «unlikable» (more American). Opposite: «likeable». Being unlikeable is not the same as being evil; a character can be annoying but still good.