Definition

Not sacred or holy; often associated with wickedness or immorality.

Example

The unholy alliance between the two rival gangs caused chaos in the city.

Conversation

Did you hear about that unholy party last weekend?

Yeah, I heard it got pretty wild and out of control.

I can't believe people would take such unholy risks just to have fun.

Right? Sometimes it feels like they don't care about the consequences.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Unholy → It is formed from "un-" (meaning not) and "holy" (from Old English "halig", meaning sacred or consecrated). The word "unholy" means not sacred or lacking holiness.

Memory Tip

Think of 'not' ('un-') combined with 'sacred' ('holy') to remember that 'unholy' describes something that is not sacred.

Visually Confused Words