unmanageable

adjective un·man·age·able \ ˌən-ˈma-ni-jə-bəl \

Definition of unmanageable

: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

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unmanageability

play \ˌən-ˌma-ni-jə-ˈbi-lə-tē\ noun

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unmanageably

play \ˌən-ˈma-ni-jə-blē\ adverb

- an unmanageably large amount of data

See unmanageable defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of unmanageable from the Web

If paying those types of sums out of pocket would be unmanageable, the high deductible insurance policy probably isn’t for you.

— gail marksjarvis, charlotteobserver, "As open enrollment approaches, here’s how to pick the right health-savings account," 30 Aug. 2017
The knee injury has bugged Feldman all year, but in the last month has become unmanageable.

— zach buchanan, Cincinnati.com, "Scott Feldman: ‘I don’t think I can pitch like that anymore’," 17 Aug. 2017
Keratin is an amplifying component of hair care: too little of the protein and your hair is extraordinarily weak and unmanageable; too much and your hair is alarmingly stiff and brittle.

— ashley weatherford, The Cut, "The Best New Shampoo Is Made From Human Hair," 15 Aug. 2017
But whoever is under center or carrying the ball will have an unmanageable job if a protective wall doesn't develop.

— mike anthony, courant.com, "Usual Question At UConn: Can Offensive Line Offer Any Protection?," 2 Aug. 2017
In the event of a CMA referral, Fox would face the near-term risk that the Conservative Party’s minority government, built on an alliance with the Democratic Unionist Party, becomes unmanageable -- which could prompt a fresh general election.

— joe mayes, Bloomberg.com, "Murdoch at Crossroads Weighing Fox's Next Move in Sky Bid," 4 July 2017
Despite the magnitude of the job, caregivers often resist seeking professional help until the disease has progressed to an unmanageable state.

— jessica wapner, Newsweek, "As Rural America Faces an Onslaught of Alzheimer's Disease, States Look to Radical Ways to Help," 1 June 2017
Forcing the Falcons into unmanageable third-and-longs is probably the Patriots’ best hope of neutralizing the NFL’s best offense, but no quarterback has been better on the game’s most crucial down than Ryan.

— ryan kartje, Orange County Register, "Kartje: Patriots’ Bill Belichick and Tom Brady are masters at sticking to their script," 4 Feb. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'unmanageable.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of unmanageable

1616

unmanageable Synonyms

Synonyms

froward, headstrong, incontrollable, intractable, recalcitrant, refractory, ungovernable, uncontrollable, unruly, untoward, wayward, willful (or wilful)

Antonyms

controllable, governable, manageable, tractable

Near Antonyms

docile, obedient, well-behaved; compliant, placable, pliable, submissive, yielding; accepting, persuadable, receptive, responsive, willing; reasonable, temperate, trainable

UNMANAGEABLE Defined for Kids

unmanageable

adjective un·man·age·able \ ˌən-ˈma-ni-jə-bəl \

Definition of unmanageable for Students

:hard or impossible to handle or control

an unmanageable child

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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for unmanageable Spanish Central: Translation of unmanageable Nglish: Translation of unmanageable for Spanish speakers

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