unbecomingness
/ʌnbɪˈkʌmɪŋnəs/
unbecomingness means A state of being unbecoming; unseemliness, inappropriateness. It carries an Arena rating of 1366, earned across 16 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, unbecomingness ranks #2,222 of 17,132 for Most Betrayed by Its Sound, #4,114 of 17,134 for Most Malleable Words, #4,213 of 17,128 for Most Ponderous Words, #4,470 of 17,163 for Funniest Words.
unbecomingness is pronounced /ʌnbɪˈkʌmɪŋnəs/.
Why “unbecomingness” is a great word
The state or quality of being inappropriate, unseemly, or not in accordance with accepted standards of behavior or propriety. Formed within English by derivation from the prefix un- (expressing negation or reversal) + the noun becomingness (from becoming, meaning 'suitable or proper') + the suffix -ness (forming abstract nouns denoting a state or quality). First attested in 1652. Unlike 'indecency,' which suggests a breach of moral law, or the bland 'inappropriateness,' which merely notes a misfit, unbecomingness is a subtle failure of aesthetics and social harmony. It is the faint, jarring note in a polite conversation, the ill-chosen flamboyance of a guest at a somber event, or the visible strain of a forced smile—the quiet but pervasive evidence that something is out of tune with the expected performance of self.
Etymology
From un- + becomingness.
noun
- A state of being unbecoming; unseemliness, inappropriateness.
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
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