as in solemn
not joking or playful in mood or manner
delivered the reprimand with a harsh and unsmiling face
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Recent Examples of unsmiling
After two years of being locked up and systematically abused by Arkham’s squad of guards led by Jackie Sullivan (Brendan Gleeson), Arthur has become an unsmiling, even more gaunt shell of his former self.
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Charles Pulliam-Moore, The Verge, 4 Oct. 2024
Earlier, an unsmiling Timberlake arrived at the courthouse on the Eastern end of Long Island near The Hamptons this morning to a crowd of reporters, fans and reportedly at least one protester holding a large photograph of a boy who apparently had been killed by a drunk driver.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 13 Sep. 2024
During the interview, an unsmiling, downcast Affleck gave rambling answers and repeatedly looked off camera, as a clip of the interview shows.
—Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 6 Aug. 2024
To emphasize Hezbollah’s resolve, hundreds of soldiers marched in precise formation, unsmiling and staring straight ahead, with their rifles across their chests, their fatigues pressed, and their boots gleaming.
—Dexter Filkins, The New Yorker, 22 July 2024
See All Example Sentences for unsmiling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unsmiling
Adjective
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The noble profile of a solemn, aging Great Dane named Apollo dominates Scott McGehee and David Siegel’s The Friend, a movie nominally about the difficulties of caring for a pet in New York City.—
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Then, with his hopes of starting the season in the major leagues officially dashed, Hinch and his family began the solemn drive from Philly to the team’s Triple-A site in Scranton, Pa.—
Adjective
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Fifteen games have passed since, cementing Deepdale as one of the sternest away trips in the English Football League.—
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Subplots like his minority investment in the sleazy nightclub The Snakehole Lounge afforded him the opportunity to showcase a stunning variety of little coats, unlike Scott, whose stern and straight-laced state auditor Ben Wyatt seemingly never changes into anything less formal.—
Adjective
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Age restrictions could impact the positives that social media brings, and still fall short of solving its more serious issues.—
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The 16-year-old passenger and the driver of the Subaru were taken to a hospital and last listed in serious condition, KTUL reported.—
Cite this Entry
“Unsmiling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unsmiling. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.
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