unbuttoned

unbuttoned — adjective

1. with buttons left unfastened; not closed or secured by the buttons on a garment

1.形容詞B1
釋義

with buttons left unfastened; not closed or secured by the buttons on a garment

例句

Theo hurried out with his shirt unbuttoned, stuffing it into his trousers on the way.

predicative: with + noun + unbuttoned

Saira noticed her jacket had come unbuttoned on her walk and stopped to fix it.

literal use: jacket / coat comes/become unbuttoned

同義詞
  • undone

    more general term for any fastener left open; 'unbuttoned' specifies the type of fastener

  • unfastened

    broader, covers buttons, zippers, hooks, and ties

  • open

    the simplest alternative; less precise but more common in casual speech

反義詞
  • buttoned

    the direct opposite — buttons done up

  • buttoned-up

    also literal, but more often used figuratively (reserved, formal)

文法句型

unbuttoned + noun (shirt / jacket / coat)

be + unbuttoned

with + noun + unbuttoned

用法筆記

Used only for garments that actually have buttons. For zippers, snaps, or hooks, use 'unfastened,' 'undone,' or 'open' instead.

常見錯誤

❌She left her zipper unbuttoned.
✅She left her zipper undone / unfastened.
💡'unbuttoned' only applies to buttons, not other fasteners.
❌He stood in the doorway with his belt unbuttoned.
✅He stood in the doorway with his belt unbuckled.
💡belts use buckles, not buttons.

2. relaxed and informal, without strict rules or formality

2.形容詞C1
釋義

relaxed and informal, without strict rules or formality

例句

The summer picnic had an unbuttoned feel, with the CEO flipping burgers beside the interns.

unbuttoned + feel / atmosphere — figurative social setting

Yael's unbuttoned conversation style helped the nervous new employees open up during the team-building session.

unbuttoned + conversation / style — describing personal manner

同義詞
  • informal

    more neutral and widely used; 'unbuttoned' emphasizes freedom from constraint rather than just lack of formality

  • relaxed

    focuses on the easygoing, calm quality; 'unbuttoned' adds a hint of deliberate looseness

  • casual

    applies to both dress and behaviour; 'unbuttoned' is slightly more vivid about social rules being shed

  • freewheeling

    more energetic and spontaneous; 'unbuttoned' is gentler and less intense

反義詞
  • formal

    the direct opposite in terms of social tone and expectation

  • stiff

    contrasts the relaxed quality with rigidity and unnaturalness

  • buttoned-up

    the most exact antonym, drawing on the same clothing metaphor in reverse — reserved, restrained, inhibited

文法句型

unbuttoned + noun (atmosphere / style / affair)

be + unbuttoned (figurative)

用法筆記

Commonly used to describe social gatherings, personal styles, or working environments. The figurative sense is less frequent in everyday speech than synonyms like 'informal' or 'casual,' and carries a slightly more vivid, approving tone.

常見錯誤

❌The meeting was very unbuttoned and they discussed the budget.
✅The meeting was very informal and they discussed the budget.
💡'unbuttoned' is unusual for routine work settings; 'informal' is more natural for describing office tone.
❌She wore an unbuttoned dress to the party.' (when meaning 'casual')
✅She wore a casual dress to the party.
💡'unbuttoned' in the literal sense describes unfastened buttons, not a 'casual' style of dress.