untoward

adjective

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un·to·ward | \ ˌən-ˈtō-ərd

, -ˈtȯ(-ə)rd; ˌən-tə-ˈwȯrd

Definition of untoward

1 : difficult to guide, manage, or work with : unruly, intractable

2a : marked by trouble or unhappiness : unlucky

b : not favorable : adverse, unpropitious untoward side effects

3 : improper, indecorous

Other Words from untoward Synonyms & Antonyms Toward and Untoward Example Sentences Learn More About untoward

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Toward and Untoward

More than 700 years ago, English speakers began using the word toward for "forward-moving" youngsters, the kind who showed promise and were open to listening to their elders. After about 150 years, the use was broadened somewhat to mean simply "docile" or "obliging." The opposite of this toward is froward, meaning "perverse" or "ungovernable." Today, froward has fallen out of common use, and the cooperative sense of toward is downright obsolete, but the newcomer to this series—untoward—has kept its toehold. Untoward first showed up as a synonym of unruly in the 1500s, and it is still used, just as it was then, though it has since acquired other meanings as well.

Examples of untoward in a Sentence

There was nothing untoward about his appearance. tried to reason with the untoward child

Recent Examples on the Web The odds of coming across a driver that is doing something untoward is seemingly quite high. — Lance Eliot, Forbes, 1 June 2021 Arguably, this might be construed as being altogether gullible or susceptible to being scammed or falling into untoward traps. — Lance Eliot, Forbes, 24 May 2021 The Dodgers are the only team in the history of any sport never to do anything untoward. — Nick Canepa Columnist, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 May 2021 The governments concluded that capping prices will serve to boost restaurant profits without any other untoward outcome. — Ike Brannon, Forbes, 16 Apr. 2021 A month later, with a smaller coaching staff led by defensive coordinator Matt Landolfi, there were no untoward play calls heard from the field. — BostonGlobe.com, 15 Apr. 2021 There’s no particular reason to think something untoward will happen to the James Webb telescope. — Marina Koren, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2021 There was a real sensitivity in the earliest days of the pandemic of not wanting to seem untoward about driving people to stores when the world was locking down. — Veronika Sonsev, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2021 The strategy works most of the time until something untoward happens. — Chris Farrell, Star Tribune, 6 Mar. 2021

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