Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Highly undesirable or unpleasant: Describing a situation, position, or task that is so difficult, unpleasant, or fraught with problems that it does not inspire envy or desire in others.
   • Difficult to handle; causing discomfort or embarrassment: Characterizing circumstances that are awkward, embarrassing, or painful to deal with.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • The manager was in the unenviable position of having to fire half his team.
  • Cleaning the public restrooms is an unenviable task.
  • She faced the unenviable choice between two equally bad options.

Advanced Usage

• "An unenviable reputation": A reputation for something negative or undesirable.
  • The company has the unenviable reputation of having the worst customer service in the industry.
• "An unenviable record": A record of negative achievements.
  • The team holds the unenviable record for the most consecutive losses.

Variants and Related Words

• Enviable (adj): Desirable and likely to be envied. (This is the direct antonym).
  • She has an enviable collection of rare books.
• Unenviably (adv): In an unenviable manner.
  • He was unenviably tasked with delivering the bad news.

Synonyms

• Undesirable
• Awkward
• Difficult
• Sticky (informal, for situations)
• Invidious (especially for choices or tasks that are likely to cause offense)

Antonyms

• Enviable
• Desirable
• Pleasant
• Sought-after

Related Phrases

• "To be in an unenviable position": To be faced with a very difficult or unpleasant situation requiring a hard decision or action.
  • As the mediator, she found herself in the unenviable position of having to disappoint both parties.
• "An unenviable task/duty": A job or responsibility that is particularly unpleasant.
  • It was his unenviable task to inform the family of the accident.

Adjective

1. so undesirable as to be incapable of arousing envy
   • unenviable notoriety
2. hard to deal with; especially causing pain or embarrassment
   • awkward (or embarrassing or difficult) moments in the discussion
   • an awkward pause followed his remark
   • a sticky question
   • in the unenviable position of resorting to an act he had planned to save for the climax of the campaign