unpromising
adjective
un·prom·is·ing
| \ ˌən-ˈprä-mə-siŋ
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Definition of unpromising
: appearing unlikely to prove worthwhile or result favorably
an unpromising beginning
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Other Words from unpromising
unpromisingly
\ ˌən-ˈprä-mə-siŋ-lē
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adverb
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adverb
Examples of unpromising in a Sentence
Things got off to an unpromising start.
She can do a lot with unpromising material.
Recent Examples on the Web
Teacher strikes in 2018 brought higher wages and improved working conditions for teachers in such locations as West Virginia, Oklahoma and North Carolina — long considered unpromising grounds for labor activism. — Los Angeles Times, "Column: Can labor unions lift themselves off the floor? A new book asks the question," 6 Aug. 2019 Nevertheless, math would seem to be unpromising territory for fiction. — Julia M. Klein, chicagotribune.com, "The Catherine Chung equation: math + identity = elegant novel," 21 June 2019 And how will these artists, who had developed in the most unpromising of circumstances, handle the world-wide fame and celebrity that came their way in their 40s and 50s? — Ann Landi, WSJ, "‘Ninth Street Women’ Review: Expressing Themselves," 20 Sep. 2018 Teddy’s unpromising fifth cousin—was written off as a rich, foppish lightweight with little more than an aristocratic accent and rich parents. — Edward Kosner, WSJ, "‘Frank and Al’ Review: A Friendship Forged in Albany," 25 Sep. 2018 The unpromising weather nearly persuaded him to call off the attempt, run an ordinary race and save the more intensive effort for a meet in London scheduled 10 days later. — Frank Litsky And Bruce Weber, New York Times, "Sir Roger Bannister, First Athlete to Break 4-Minute Mile, Dies at 88," 4 Mar. 2018 After a long, complicated, unpromising production, the first footage from the Star Wars prequel (no, not that kind) Solo, came out today as part of the endless parade of Super Bowl ads. — Tom Philip, GQ, "Here's Your First Look at Solo: A Star Wars Story," 5 Feb. 2018 But Madrid has developed a habit of winning even in the most unpromising circumstances and as Juve dropped off, seemingly content to wait for extra time, Lucas Vazquez was barged over by Mehdi Benatia as Cristiano Ronaldo headed back across goal. — Jonathan Wilson, SI.com, "Chaos, Controversy, Cristiano: Vulnerable Real Madrid Perseveres vs. Valiant Juventus," 11 Apr. 2018 But if the political process is unpromising, people working in the market are making their own progress. — Anchorage Daily News, "The moment has probably passed for Alaska health care reform. The future is here.," 25 Mar. 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'unpromising.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for unpromising
unpromising
adjective
English Language Learners Definition of unpromising
: not likely to be successful or good
See the full definition for unpromising in the English Language Learners Dictionary