1
as in rebellious
given to resisting authority or another's control
tried to reason with the untoward child
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in uncontrollable
given to resisting control or discipline by others
a program for untoward teenagers that is designed to give them the kind of discipline that their parents were unable or unwilling to administer
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in adverse
opposed to one's interests
achieved great success as an artist despite growing up in a very untoward milieu
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4
as in inappropriate
not appropriate for a particular occasion or situation
unfortunately, one of the symptoms of dementia can be a tendency to make untoward and often shocking remarks
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of untoward
None of these inspections turned up anything untoward.
—
Nate Anderson, ArsTechnica, 25 Sep. 2025
Nor is there anything untoward and deceptive about it.
—Adam Gelb, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Aug. 2025
Nearly two years after Denny Crum's death and an untoward incident that left his gravesite monument at the bottom of the Red Sea, the legendary University of Louisville men's basketball coach's final resting place is nearing completion.
—Killian Baarlaer, The Courier-Journal, 2 July 2025
Oh, and there's a human operator on board in the front passenger seat, instructed to remain silent through the trip and be prepared to hit a kill switch in case of any untoward incidents in traffic.
—New Atlas, 23 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for untoward
Nate Anderson, ArsTechnica, 25 Sep. 2025
Nor is there anything untoward and deceptive about it.
—Adam Gelb, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Aug. 2025
Nearly two years after Denny Crum's death and an untoward incident that left his gravesite monument at the bottom of the Red Sea, the legendary University of Louisville men's basketball coach's final resting place is nearing completion.
—Killian Baarlaer, The Courier-Journal, 2 July 2025
Oh, and there's a human operator on board in the front passenger seat, instructed to remain silent through the trip and be prepared to hit a kill switch in case of any untoward incidents in traffic.
—New Atlas, 23 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for untoward
Recent Examples of Synonyms for untoward
Adjective
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For Jean, Judge’s visit to Annecy is a momentous occasion that reflects the Festival’s determination to highlight the dynamism, social relevance and rebellious audacity of American adult animation series.—
Kevin Giraud,
Variety,
14 Mar. 2026
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Like most of us, FIG shed its more rebellious tendencies over time.—
Robert F. Moss,
Southern Living,
12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Other common side effects include nausea, flushing, headache, and abdominal cramping and uncontrollable shivering.—
Cindy Krischer Goodman,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Mar. 2026
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Davidson has coprolalia—uncontrollable obscene speech—hence the pun in the title of the film.—
Doreen St. Félix,
New Yorker,
28 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Honeycutt noted that the executive order came just days before the House Agriculture Committee was considering a five-year farm bill that would shield manufacturers from litigation related to adverse health impacts when the chemicals are used in accordance with federal law.—
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy,
USA Today,
14 Mar. 2026
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Short-term exposure by inhalation can cause headaches, dizziness, nausea, fatigue respiratory irritation and other adverse health effects, according to the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The choice to portray her as irritating, self-absorbed, whiny and inappropriate was no accident.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
12 Mar. 2026
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At first, the teen denied having an inappropriate relationship with Rivera.—
Meredith Colias-Pete,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The rebel group said that the attack killed three people, but the number couldn't be immediately confirmed.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
12 Mar. 2026
-
The rebel group said that the attack killed three people, but the number couldn’t be immediately confirmed.—
Ruth Alonga,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The Republican Party has similarly bleak numbers, with 51% of respondents expressing an unfavorable view.—
Jake Angelo,
Fortune,
9 Mar. 2026
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Lodaya noted his previous reservations for Westlake, as well as the broad ethylene sector, included a shrinking ethane advantage and unfavorable polyethylene supply-demand dynamics.—
Lisa Kailai Han,
CNBC,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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And a new policy was rolled out requiring cops to report improper use of the internal email system.—
Aaron Leibowitz,
Miami Herald,
14 Mar. 2026
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Grout's biggest challenge is cracking from improper installation or too much moisture.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your nonfiction development pipeline grow?—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Mar. 2026
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His couplets—stitched together by a rhyme—typically saunter in contrary directions.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Untoward.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/untoward. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.
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