ˌən-ˈkəm(p)(f)-tər-bəl
1
as in harsh
causing discomfort
unfortunately, dressing up for the dance meant wearing an uncomfortable shirt
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in embarrassing
causing embarrassment
the uncomfortable situation of running into an ex-friend at a social gathering
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in uneasy
lacking social grace and assurance
a person who is uncomfortable at parties with lots of strangers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of uncomfortable
Drivers may also not want to wear the devices, which may be uncomfortable or distracting, the sources said.
—
Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2025
Sensing how uncomfortable Yousafzai was by the question, Kale quickly changed the topic.
—Janelle Griffith, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 2025
And the Lakers could, by then, be in an uncomfortable hole in the unforgiving Western Conference.
—Mirjam Swanson, Oc Register, 22 Oct. 2025
Jay Norvell was finally let go in FoCo on Sunday after a month of awkward, uncomfortable speculation.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 20 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for uncomfortable
Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2025
Sensing how uncomfortable Yousafzai was by the question, Kale quickly changed the topic.
—Janelle Griffith, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 2025
And the Lakers could, by then, be in an uncomfortable hole in the unforgiving Western Conference.
—Mirjam Swanson, Oc Register, 22 Oct. 2025
Jay Norvell was finally let go in FoCo on Sunday after a month of awkward, uncomfortable speculation.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 20 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for uncomfortable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for uncomfortable
Adjective
-
Why do some chocolate bars exhibit complex flavor notes like floral, caramel, and gentle woody, while others taste harsh, bitter, and astringent?—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
18 Oct. 2025
-
Where rallies are taking place Nearly daily protests in metro Detroit this year have been observed as being peaceful, though sometimes Trump supporters and protesters exchange harsh words.—
Darcie Moran,
Freep.com,
18 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
But as the cast of Survivor 49 is about to prove, embarrassing things can also happen when there are no cameras around.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
21 Oct. 2025
-
The idea of experiencing burning, itching or sharp pain while sitting at work, straining on the toilet or trying to relax at home can be both embarrassing and exhausting.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Lawler, the best known of the young actors thanks to her breakout work in Station Eleven, brings welcome awkward humor, while Stack, with the series’ most complex character, conveys an uneasy grasp on sanity that the rest of the show isn’t really prepared to deal with.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Oct. 2025
-
BofA also points to a record 54% of investors who now believe that AI stocks are in a bubble, according to its most recent Global Fund Manager Survey—another reason for heightened vigilance around the market’s uneasy exuberance.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
22 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
On Lia’s first day back, though, her throat was sore all morning.—
Eli Cahan,
Rolling Stone,
16 Oct. 2025
-
That is a sight for sore eyes in Chicago.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
In all of the courses, the pedagogy is an awkward pastiche of traditions, combining Eastern Orthodox Christianity, Slavic paganism, Siberian shamanism, and Asian spiritual practices, spiked with elements of Jungian and American pop psychology.—
Julia Ioffe,
New Yorker,
19 Oct. 2025
-
Pignato shared a scene from a recent consult with a rival company that wanted advice on how to bring AI into its engineering workflow, and an awkward generational mismatch.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
19 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Even the basic details of the situation can sound like the clumsy plot of some apocalyptic thriller.—
Simon Shuster,
Time,
23 Oct. 2025
-
An exceptionally clumsy device.—
Mark Phelan,
Freep.com,
23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
There’s a wonderful chapter in which an older woman extolls a younger one to tell a painful story not with words, but with movements, so as to expel her pain without enlisting narrative’s power to summon, and thus force a re-living, of painful events.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
21 Oct. 2025
-
If anything, Peck hoped that the film’s density and wide scope would illuminate how frequently the past’s most painful moments repeat themselves.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Considering that Rebecca and Noah’s mom, Bina (Tovah Feldshuh), came off as equally unpleasant, Foster, Konner, and Kaplan kind of had to retool the character.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
23 Oct. 2025
-
Despite being so unpleasant, hemorrhoid complications are surprisingly common.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
21 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Uncomfortable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/uncomfortable. Accessed 25 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share