unerwünschte

Unerwünschte is a German adjective meaning undesired or unwanted. It is formed with the negation prefix un- attached to erwünscht, the past participle of erwünschen (to desire).

As an attributive adjective, it declines like other adjectives according to gender, number, and case: unerwünschte Merkmale (undesirable features), unerwünschte Kontakte (unwanted contacts), unerwünschte Folgen (unwanted consequences). In predicative position the form is usually unerwünscht, as in Die Maßnahme ist unerwünscht. When used without a definite article, the endings follow standard adjective declension patterns (e.g., eine unerwünschte Idee, unerwünschtes Verhalten).

Unerwünschte can also be substantivized and capitalized as Die Unerwünschten, referring to people or groups deemed undesirable. This usage appears in historical or political contexts and can carry a stigmatizing or value-laden nuance, depending on the speaker and context.

Common contexts include everyday language for objects, actions, or effects (unerwünschte Werbung, unerwünschte E-Mails), as well as policy, media, or public health discussions (unerwünschte Nebenwirkungen, unerwünschte Inhalte). The term is generally neutral in descriptive use but may convey judgment when applied to persons or groups.

Etymology traces to erwünscht (desired) with the negative prefix un-, yielding a term that denotes something not desired. Related terms include unerwünscht as a simple predicate or attributive form, and synonyms such as lästig or unerfreulich in some contexts, though with different nuances.

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