unmanageable

adjective

un·​man·​age·​able ˌən-ˈma-ni-jə-bəl How to pronounce unmanageable (audio)
: not manageable : difficult or impossible to control or manage
unmanageable hair
an almost unmanageable amount of data
The prisoner became unmanageable.
an unmanageable temper
an unmanageable number of students for one teacher
an unmanageable amount of debt
unmanageability noun
unmanageably adverb
an unmanageably large amount of data

Examples of unmanageable in a Sentence

an unmanageable dog who had to be returned to the pound
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This resulted in persistent, runaway inflation and unmanageable national debt. Jim Nowlan, Mercury News, 23 Oct. 2025 Just six months later, in June, the museum closed its doors for a day as workers there went on strike, complaining of unmanageable crowds, understaffing and poor working conditions in a building unable to handle its current popularity. Caitlin Danaher, CNN Money, 19 Oct. 2025 The protagonist’s diabolical plot is fuelled by an unmanageable tangle of emotions, including raging jealousy, mercenary self-interest, and resentment of Eileen’s professional and intellectual accomplishments, which sparks shame at her own cosseted frivolity. Richard Brody, New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2025 Digital exhaustion increased to 84% in 2025 from 75% the prior year, while unmanageable workloads also rose to 77%, per the report. Sawdah Bhaimiya aisha Ditta, CNBC, 28 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for unmanageable

Word History

First Known Use

1616, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unmanageable was in 1616

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Cite this Entry

“Unmanageable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unmanageable. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.

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