unpublishable
Not fit for press
Unpublishable describes writing that cannot or should not be published—whether for legal reasons, quality concerns, or content deemed too offensive or controversial: The manuscript was rejected as unpublishable.
The judgment is often subjective; what one editor finds unpublishable another may champion.
His early drafts were unpublishable garbage, but he kept revising.
Grossly offensive to decency
- vulgarCrude or indecent
- indecentOffensive to accepted standards
- lewdObscenely sexual
- pornographicSexually explicit in content
explicit · profane · filthy · smutty · raunchy · salacious · scandalous · libelous
Original text before publication
- declinedRefused or diminished
- refusedDeclined to accept
- spurnedRejected with contempt
- returnedWent back again
unsolicited · submission · query · unaccepted · dismissed · passed-over · shelved · trunked
Officially disallowed
- redactedOfficially removed from view
- suppressedForcibly held down
- censoredSuppressed from publication
- expurgatedRemoved objectionable material
bowdlerized · sanitized · blacklisted · prohibited · silenced · restricted · forbidden · embargoed
Lacking finish or refinement
- amateurishLacking professional skill
- unfinishedNot yet complete
- uneditedNot yet corrected
- flawedHaving faults or imperfections
incoherent · unsalvageable · unreadable · sloppy · rambling · unfocused · derivative · clichéd
Meant to stay secret
- classifiedRestricted from disclosure
- privilegedHaving special advantages
- privateRestricted to certain parties
- secretConcealed information
embargoed · restricted · off-the-record · insider · whistleblower · leaked · redacted · protected
obscene
Grossly offensive to decency
pornographic · explicit · profane · filthy · smutty · raunchy · salacious · scandalous · libelous · defamatory
manuscript
Original text before publication
returned · unsolicited · submission · query · unaccepted · dismissed · passed-over · shelved · trunked · unpicked
banned
Officially disallowed
- redactedOfficially removed from view
- suppressedForcibly held down
- censoredSuppressed from publication
expurgated · bowdlerized · sanitized · blacklisted · prohibited · silenced · restricted · forbidden · embargoed · classified
unpolished
Lacking finish or refinement
- amateurishLacking professional skill
- unfinishedNot yet complete
- uneditedNot yet corrected
flawed · incoherent · unsalvageable · unreadable · sloppy · rambling · unfocused · derivative · clichéd · weak
confidential
Meant to stay secret
- classifiedRestricted from disclosure
- privilegedHaving special advantages
- privateRestricted to certain parties
secret · embargoed · restricted · off-the-record · insider · whistleblower · leaked · redacted · protected · sealed
unpublishablepublishable
Fit for publication
camera-ready · acceptable · marketable · accepted · in print
unpublishablepolished
Smooth, refined, accomplished
refined · brilliant · masterful · accomplished · professional-grade
publish, publication, publicity, publicize, publisher, publications, unpublished, publishers, republish