Unholy
/ʌnˈhoʊli/
Definitions
2 meaningsNot connected with or devoted to religion; profane or wicked.
/ʌnˈhoʊli/
Not sacred or religious; wicked or evil.
The dark ritual involved unholy symbols.
💡 Simply: Imagine something that's totally against the rules of a religious place or event. Like, sneaking cookies into church or having a dance party in a graveyard. Yikes!
👶 For kids: Something that's bad or not good, like a mean monster or something that breaks the rules of being nice.
More Examples
The critics described the alliance as an unholy union of incompatible ideologies.
He was accused of taking part in unholy acts.
How It's Used
"The cult's practices were considered unholy by the church."
"The knight faced an unholy beast in the darkened forest."
Morally bad; involving something considered impure or unclean.
/ʌnˈhoʊli/
Not pure or clean; morally bad.
The deal they made felt like an unholy compromise.
💡 Simply: Think of things that are kind of icky, like someone not being fair or doing something that feels wrong, or an agreement that just doesn't feel right.
👶 For kids: Something that is not clean and not right, like telling lies or being a bad person.
More Examples
The atmosphere in the bar was thick with an unholy stench.
The story described an unholy merger of two rival companies
How It's Used
"The politician's unholy alliance with the corporation raised many eyebrows."
Synonyms
Idioms & expressions
unholy alliance
A coalition of people or organizations with different or conflicting interests, often considered inappropriate or undesirable.
"The unholy alliance between the two political parties was formed only to win the election."
unholy mess
A situation or condition that is extremely chaotic, disordered, and unpleasant.
"The aftermath of the party was an unholy mess, with broken glasses and spilled drinks everywhere."
From Middle English *unholi*, from Old English *unhālig* ('not holy, wicked'), from *un-* ('not') + *hālig* ('holy').
Used extensively in religious contexts and literature since the Middle Ages. It gained popularity during the rise of Puritanism, where the word carried strong connotations of wickedness and heresy.
Memory tip
Think 'un-' meaning not and 'holy' meaning sacred. An unholy act is therefore not sacred.