unbuttoned

unbuttoned — 形容詞

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

1.形容詞B1
釋義

未扣鈕的

鈕扣沒有扣上的

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.

Theo 匆忙跑出家門，襯衫鈕扣沒扣好，邊走邊把衣擺塞進褲腰。

predicative: with + noun + unbuttoned

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

Saira 發現她的外套在散步途中鈕扣鬆開了，於是停下來重新扣好。

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

輕鬆隨興的

態度或氣氛輕鬆隨興、不受拘束的

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.

公司夏季野餐瀰漫著輕鬆不拘禮的氣氛，執行長和實習生一起站在烤肉架前翻漢堡排。

unbuttoned + feel / atmosphere — figurative social setting

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

Yael 輕鬆隨性的談話風格，幫助緊張的新人在團隊建立活動中敞開心房。

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.