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persona non grata

/ˈpʌrˈsoʊnə ˈnɑn ˌgrɑdə/
IPA guide

You can use the term persona non grata to describe anyone who is unwelcome, whether it's an obnoxious party guest or a trespasser using your yard as a shortcut.

Complain loudly about your neighbor's cooking and you might be declared persona non grata next time she throws a dinner party. In other words, you'll be off the invitation list. Persona non grata comes from the Latin word persona, "person," plus non grata, "not pleasing."

Definitions of persona non grata
  1. noun
    a person who for some reason is not wanted or welcome
    synonyms: unwelcome person
    see moresee less
    types:
    disagreeable person, unpleasant person
    a person who is not pleasant or agreeable
    ingrate, thankless wretch, ungrateful person
    a person who shows no gratitude
    interloper, intruder, trespasser
    someone who intrudes on the privacy or property of another without permission
    meddler
    an officious annoying person who interferes with others
    disreputable person
    someone lacking public esteem
    gloomy Gus, picklepuss, pouter, sourpuss
    someone with a habitually sullen or gloomy expression
    grinch, killjoy, party pooper, spoilsport, wet blanket
    someone who spoils the pleasure of others
    annoyer, tease, teaser, vexer
    someone given to teasing (as by mocking or stirring curiosity)
    bad hat, mischief-maker, trouble maker, troublemaker, troubler
    someone who deliberately stirs up trouble
    undesirable
    one whose presence is undesirable
    scoundrel, villain
    a wicked or evil person; someone who does evil deliberately
    aggravator, annoyance
    an unpleasant person who is annoying or exasperating
    agitator, fomenter
    one who agitates; a political troublemaker
    alienator
    an unpleasant person who causes friendly people to become indifferent or unfriendly or hostile
    anathema, bete noire
    a detested person or thing
    backseat driver
    a meddler who insists on giving unwanted advice
    boarder
    someone who forces their way aboard ship
    bore, dullard
    a person who evokes boredom
    busybody, nosey-parker, nosy-parker, quidnunc
    a person who meddles in the affairs of others
    buttinsky
    a person who interferes in other people's lives
    blackguard, bounder, cad, dog, heel, hound
    someone who is morally reprehensible
    cold fish
    an aloof unemotional person
    creep, spook, weirdie, weirdo, weirdy
    someone unpleasantly strange or eccentric
    critic
    someone who frequently finds fault or makes harsh and unfair judgments
    cynic, faultfinder
    someone who is critical of the motives of others
    disturber
    a troubler who interrupts or interferes with peace and quiet; someone who causes disorder and commotion
    egoist, egotist, swellhead
    a conceited and self-centered person
    gallows bird
    a person who deserves to be hanged
    crasher, gatecrasher, unwelcome guest
    someone who gets in (to a party) without an invitation or without paying
    grabber
    an unpleasant person who grabs inconsiderately
    churl, crank, crosspatch, grouch, grump
    a bad-tempered person
    badgerer, heckler
    someone who tries to embarrass you with gibes and questions and objections
    devil, heller, hellion
    a rowdy or mischievous person (usually a young man)
    hellhound
    a very evil man
    incubus
    someone who causes great distress or anxiety
    infiltrator
    an intruder (as troops) with hostile intent
    firebrand, inciter, instigant, instigator, provoker
    someone who deliberately foments trouble
    encroacher, invader
    someone who enters by force in order to conquer
    joker, turkey
    a person who does something thoughtless or annoying
    kibitzer
    (Yiddish) a meddler who offers unwanted advice to others
    blusterer, loudmouth
    a person who causes trouble by speaking indiscreetly
    demon, devil, fiend, monster, ogre
    a cruel, wicked, and inhuman person
    oppressor
    a person of authority who subjects others to undue pressures
    nuisance, pain, pain in the neck
    a bothersome annoying person
    pawer
    a person who handles or caresses in a clumsy or overfamiliar manner
    Goth, barbarian, boor, churl, heathen, peasant, tike, tyke
    a crude uncouth ill-bred person lacking culture or refinement
    penetrator
    an intruder who passes into or through (often by overcoming resistance)
    pharisee
    a self-righteous or sanctimonious person
    pill
    a unpleasant or tiresome person
    cut-up, hoaxer, practical joker, prankster, tricker, trickster
    someone who plays practical jokes on others
    prima donna
    a vain and temperamental person
    prowler, sneak, stalker
    someone who prowls or sneaks about; usually with unlawful intentions
    prude, puritan
    a person excessively concerned about propriety and decorum
    pusher, thruster
    one who intrudes or pushes himself forward
    rioter
    troublemaker who participates in a violent disturbance of the peace; someone who rises up against the constituted authority
    knave, rapscallion, rascal, rogue, scalawag, scallywag, varlet
    a deceitful and unreliable scoundrel
    bum, crumb, dirty dog, git, lowlife, puke, rat, rotter, skunk, so-and-so, stinker, stinkpot
    a person who is deemed to be despicable or contemptible
    flouter, jeerer, mocker, scoffer
    someone who jeers or mocks or treats something with contempt or calls out in derision
    common scold, nag, nagger, scold, scolder
    someone (especially a woman) who annoys people by constantly finding fault
    selfish person
    a person who is unusually selfish
    sneak
    a person who is regarded as underhanded and furtive and contemptible
    scorner, sneerer
    a person who expresses contempt by remarks or facial expression
    prig, snob, snoot, snot
    a person regarded as arrogant and annoying
    snorter
    someone who expresses contempt or indignation by uttering a snorting sound
    squatter
    someone who settles on land without right or title
    alien, stranger, unknown
    anyone who does not belong in the environment in which they are found
    disagreeable woman, unpleasant woman
    a woman who is an unpleasant person
    arriviste, nouveau-riche, parvenu, upstart
    a person who has suddenly risen to a higher economic status but has not gained social acceptance of others in that class
    upstart
    an arrogant or presumptuous person
    villainess
    a woman villain
    vulgarian
    a vulgar person (especially someone who makes a vulgar display of wealth)
    bellyacher, complainer, crybaby, grumbler, moaner, sniveller, squawker, whiner
    a person given to excessive complaints and crying and whining
    dirt ball, insect, louse, worm
    a person who has a nasty or unethical character undeserving of respect
    fuss-budget, fusspot, worrier, worrywart
    thinks about unfortunate things that might happen
    buzzard
    an unpleasant and contemptible person, especially one who is rapacious
    troglodyte
    a bad-mannered person with ignorant or outdated ideas
    type of:
  2. noun
    a diplomat who is unacceptable to the government to which he is sent
    see moresee less
    type of:
    diplomat, diplomatist
    an official engaged in international negotiations
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DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘persona non grata'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
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