uncooperative

adjective

un·​co·​op·​er·​at·​ive ˌən-kō-ˈä-p(ə-)rə-tiv 

-ˈä-pə-ˌrā-

: marked by an unwillingness or inability to work with others : not cooperative

the suspect was uncooperative with investigators

an uncooperative witness

… he wonders whether it would be such a bad thing if their uncooperative nanny quit …

—Caitlin Flanagan

also : providing difficulty

struggled with an uncooperative corkscrew

uncooperative weather

Examples of uncooperative in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

As investigators began searching for the husband and 4-year-old, Miller became uncooperative and was taken to the hospital for evaluation, Campbell said. —Saleen Martin, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2025

No one wants to appear uncooperative. —Benjamin Laker, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025

Sean Audy with the Will County sheriff’s office said the defendant also caused trouble at the Will County jail, including threatening a deputy, being insubordinate and uncooperative. —Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2025

After their initial statement, Cyprien's parents became uncooperative, police said. —Kirsten Fiscus, Nashville Tennessean, 12 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1799, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for uncooperative

• inoperative
• operative