Unholy

/ʌnˈhoʊli/

Meaning & Definition

adjective
Not holy; sinful or wicked.
The unholy alliance between the two rival factions shocked everyone.
Impious; lacking in reverence for God or sacred things.
His unholy laughter echoed through the empty church.
Involving, characterized by, or showing moral wrongness.
The unholy practices of the cult disturbed the local community.

Etymology

Middle English, from 'un-' (not) + 'holy' (sacred).

Common Phrases and Expressions

unholy alliance:
A partnership that is unethical or morally questionable.
unholy terror:
A person or thing that is extremely frightening or evil.
unholy war:
A conflict driven by immoral motives or without justification.

Related Words

Slang Meanings

Something considered extremely wicked or outrageous.
That movie was an unholy mess of clichés.
Referring to something delightfully mischievous or fun.
We had an unholy amount of fun at the party.