ungentle

adjective

un·​gen·​tle ˌən-ˈjen-tᵊl How to pronounce ungentle (audio)
: not gentle : lacking in softness, delicacy, etc. : harsh, rough
an ungentle touch
… with the two gentlemen pursuing their ungentle quarrel in magazines, television studios, and courtrooms …Hendrik Hertzberg
ungently adverb
… taking him, not ungently, by the loose front of his red woollen shirt … Charles Dickens
ungently told her no

Examples of ungentle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web But going back to trying to be gentle in ungentle times. Stephanie Stradley, Houston Chronicle, 25 Sep. 2020 Notes From an Apocalypse is a gentle argument for coming to terms with the precarity of life, published in a moment where people are facing its fragility in an immediate and ungentle context. Kate Knibbs, Wired, 16 Apr. 2020

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ungentle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1509, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ungentle was in 1509

Dictionary Entries Near ungentle

Cite this Entry

“Ungentle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ungentle. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

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