An adjective denoting "doesn't care about his looks" (2025)

J

JustMe750

Member

Israel

Hebrew

  • Nov 8, 2019
  • #1

Hello,

Let's say I want to indicate that a particular woman struggles with finding a man (=a romantic partner) because she doesn't care about her looks: she doesn't use makeup, doesn't use a perfume, wears unappealing clothes, etc. Or, let's say I want to describe a particular man in a similar way, i.e., as someone who doesn't care about his looks

What would be a proper English adjective to describe a person with this kind of "attitude" towards his looks?

Thank you for your help An adjective denoting "doesn't care about his looks" (1)

  • Florentia52

    Modwoman in the attic

    Wisconsin

    English - United States

    • Nov 8, 2019
    • #2

    Please give us the complete sentence in which you would use the adjective.

    Florentia52

    Modwoman in the attic

    Wisconsin

    English - United States

    • Nov 8, 2019
    • #3

    My reply must have been cross-posted with your deletion.

    Edited to add: But my most recent deletion wasn't quick enough to prevent the post below.

    J

    JustMe750

    Member

    Israel

    Hebrew

    • Nov 8, 2019
    • #4

    Florentia52 said:

    I don't see that someone should be called "slovenly" simply because he/she doesn't wear perfume or makeup or "appealing" clothes. I fit two and probably three of those categories, and I would take offense at the term.

    Yes, Florentia, you're right. This is a matter of personal taste. I used perfume-wearing just as an example to explain my intention; obviously, a person doesn't have to wear perfume. What I meant was: "a person who doesn't have a great concern about smelling bad/unpleasant in the presence of other people".

    owlman5

    Senior Member

    Colorado

    English-US

    • Nov 8, 2019
    • #5

    The adjective you choose depends on how critical you want to be, JustMe. I would probably choose something like slovenly if I wanted to make a remark about somebody who didn't care about whether he stank.

    J

    JustMe750

    Member

    Israel

    Hebrew

    • Nov 8, 2019
    • #6

    owlman5 said:

    The adjective you choose depends on how critical you want to be, JustMe. I would probably choose something like slovenly if I wanted to make a remark about somebody who didn't care about whether he stank.

    I see.
    Well, I would like to use this adjective in the context of dating websites etc., in the section in which a user is requested to indicate what qualities he would consider "bad" in his partner (e.g. "impolite, superficial..."). Would the adjective "slovenly" be proper in this context?

    Last edited:

    The Newt

    Senior Member

    New England

    English - US

    • Nov 8, 2019
    • #7

    "Slovenly" is too negative a word. I would use something like "concerned about his / her appearance" and "not concerned..."

    PaulQ

    Senior Member

    UK

    English - England

    • Nov 8, 2019
    • #8

    Slovenly is quite broad - it also takes in a person's personal and and social behaviour. If you are interested in the way he dresses scruffily/scruffy could work

    owlman5

    Senior Member

    Colorado

    English-US

    • Nov 8, 2019
    • #9

    JustMe750 said:

    I see.
    Well, I would like to use this adjective in the context of dating websites etc., in the section in which a user is requested to indicate what qualities he would consider "bad" in his partner (e.g. ", impolite, superficial..."). Would the adjective "slovenly" be proper in this context?

    Slovenly doesn't sound any worse to me than impolite or superficial do. If you're worried about sounding too negative, you might consider some phrase like careless in appearance. Unhygienic is a fairly clinical-sounding, neutral adjective that can be used to describe somebody who doesn't care about smelling bad in public.

    Last edited:

    J

    JustMe750

    Member

    Israel

    Hebrew

    • Nov 8, 2019
    • #10

    Thank you all (and especially Owlman)! I really appreciate your help An adjective denoting "doesn't care about his looks" (8)

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    An adjective denoting "doesn't care about his looks" (2025)

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