2 ADJ If you describe a situation or activity as unforgiving , you mean that it causes a lot of people to experience great difficulty or failure, even people who deserve to succeed. □ Business is a competitive activity. It is very fierce and very unforgiving.
un|formed /ʌ nfɔː r md/ ADJ If you describe someone or something as unformed , you mean that they are in an early stage of development and are not fully formed or matured. [FORMAL ] □ The market for which they are competing is still unformed. □ …the unformed minds of children.
un|for|tu|nate /ʌnfɔː r tʃʊnət/ (unfortunates )
1 ADJ If you describe someone as unfortunate , you mean that something unpleasant or unlucky has happened to them. You can also describe the unpleasant things that happen to them as unfortunate . □ Some unfortunate person passing below could all too easily be seriously injured. □ Apparently he had been unfortunate enough to fall victim to a gang of thugs. □ Through some unfortunate accident, the information reached me a day late. □ [+ for ] It was unfortunate for Davey that his teacher did not take kindly to him.
2 ADJ If you describe something that has happened as unfortunate , you think that it is inappropriate, embarrassing, awkward, or wrong. □ It really is desperately unfortunate that this should have happened just now. □ …the unfortunate incident of the upside-down Canadian flag.
3 ADJ You can describe someone as unfortunate when they are poor or have a difficult life. □ Every year we have charity days to raise money for unfortunate people. ● N‑COUNT An unfortunate is someone who is unfortunate. □ Dorothy was another of life's unfortunates.
un|for|tu|nate|ly ◆◇◇ /ʌnfɔː r tʃʊnətli/ ADV You can use unfortunately to introduce or refer to a statement when you consider that it is sad or disappointing, or when you want to express regret. [FEELINGS ] □ Unfortunately, my time is limited. □ [+ for ] Unfortunately for the Prince, his title brought obligations as well as privileges. SYNONYMS unfortunately ADV
sadly: Sadly, bamboo plants die after flowering.
unluckily: Unluckily for him, the fraud officers were watching this flight too.
regrettably: The incidents are regrettably true.
un|found|ed /ʌ nfaʊ nd I d/ ADJ If you describe a rumour, belief, or feeling as unfounded , you mean that it is wrong and is not based on facts or evidence. □ …unfounded rumours that a police car had injured a young boy. □ The allegations were totally unfounded.
un|friend /ʌ nfre nd/ (unfriends , unfriending , unfriended ) VERB If you unfriend someone, you stop being their friend on a social media website. □ [V n] My 16-year-old has now unfriended me.
un|friend|ly /ʌ nfre ndli/ ADJ If you describe a person, organization, or their behaviour as unfriendly , you mean that they behave towards you in an unkind or rather hostile way. □ [+ to ] It is not fair for him to be permanently unfriendly to someone who has hurt him. □ People always complain that the big banks and big companies are unfriendly and unhelpful. □ Judy spoke in a loud, rather unfriendly voice.
-unfriendly /-ʌnfre ndli/ COMB -unfriendly combines with nouns, and sometimes adverbs, to form adjectives which describe something which is bad for a particular thing. □ It's couched in such very user-unfriendly terminology. □ …this harsh, and environmentally-unfriendly, action.
un|ful|filled /ʌ nfʊlf I ld/
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you use unfulfilled to describe something such as a promise, ambition, or need, you mean that what was promised, hoped for, or needed has not happened. □ …angry at unfulfilled promises of jobs and decent housing. □ The election had raised hopes that remain unfulfilled.
2 ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If you describe someone as unfulfilled , you mean that they feel dissatisfied with life or with what they have done. □ You must let go of the idea that to be single is to be unhappy and unfulfilled.
un|fun|ny /ʌ nfʌ ni/ ADJ If you describe something or someone as unfunny , you mean that they do not make you laugh, although this was their intention or purpose. □ We became increasingly fed up with his increasingly unfunny and unintelligent comments.
un|furl /ʌ nfɜː r l/ (unfurls , unfurling , unfurled )
1 VERB If you unfurl something rolled or folded such as an umbrella, sail, or flag, you open it, so that it is spread out. You can also say that it unfurls . □ [V n] Once outside the inner breakwater, we began to unfurl all the sails. □ [V ] …two weeks later when the leaves unfurl.
2 VERB If you say that events, stories, or scenes unfurl before you, you mean that you are aware of them or can see them as they happen or develop. □ [V ] …as the dramatic changes in the region continue to unfurl.
un|fur|nished /ʌ nfɜː r n I ʃt/ ADJ [usu ADJ n, oft ADJ after v, v-link ADJ ] If you rent an unfurnished house, flat, or apartment, no furniture is provided by the owner.
un|gain|ly /ʌnge I nli/ ADJ If you describe a person, animal, or vehicle as ungainly , you mean that they look awkward or clumsy, often because they are big. □ The dog, an ungainly mongrel pup, was loping about the road. □ Paul swam in his ungainly way to the side of the pool.
un|gen|er|ous /ʌ ndʒe nərəs/
1 ADJ If you describe someone's remarks, thoughts, or actions as ungenerous , you mean that they are unfair or unkind. [FORMAL ] □ This was a typically ungenerous response.
2 ADJ You can use ungenerous when you are describing a person or organization that is unwilling to give much money to other people. [FORMAL ] □ Financial provision for the unemployed is ungenerous.
un|glued /ʌngluː d/
1 PHRASE If something comes unglued , it becomes separated from the thing that it was attached to. □ I wear my old shoes every day. One sole has come unglued.