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
For the United States and other major Western militaries, Ukraine’s use of trucks parked outside secure areas near military sites will pose uncomfortable questions.
—
Phillips Payson O’Brien, The Atlantic, 2 June 2025
Pulp’s celebrity became uncomfortable for Cocker in the late nineties, and the band went on hiatus in 2002.
—Sarah Larson, New Yorker, 1 June 2025
The film is also an introspective interrogation of Cruise's stardom, confronting its main character with uncomfortable realities: his world is artificial, insulated, and fleeting, and his multimillion-dollar good looks could disappear in an instant.
—Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 24 May 2025
But after a smattering of deeply uncomfortable and boundary-crossing hangs, Austin decides to sever ties with Craig, who slowly loses his mind trying to win back his erstwhile buddy.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 24 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for uncomfortable
Phillips Payson O’Brien, The Atlantic, 2 June 2025
Pulp’s celebrity became uncomfortable for Cocker in the late nineties, and the band went on hiatus in 2002.
—Sarah Larson, New Yorker, 1 June 2025
The film is also an introspective interrogation of Cruise's stardom, confronting its main character with uncomfortable realities: his world is artificial, insulated, and fleeting, and his multimillion-dollar good looks could disappear in an instant.
—Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 24 May 2025
But after a smattering of deeply uncomfortable and boundary-crossing hangs, Austin decides to sever ties with Craig, who slowly loses his mind trying to win back his erstwhile buddy.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 24 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for uncomfortable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for uncomfortable
Adjective
-
From growing up in the streets of Kansas City to serving jail time, Gilliam shared how rapping about his harsh experiences has made fans love him.—
Ramal Nasim,
Kansas City Star,
4 June 2025
-
Of the treaty’s three American signers—John Adams, John Jay and Benjamin Franklin—Franklin was said to have taken the harshest line against the loyalists.—
Greg Daugherty,
Smithsonian Magazine,
4 June 2025
Adjective
-
This is just some of what Reece James had to say after Chelsea’s embarrassing 2-1 home defeat to Legia Warsaw in April.—
Simon Johnson,
New York Times,
1 June 2025
-
As a result, the surface of the land and sea is an open book that anyone with an internet connection can read to the point where the embarrassing launch failure of a North Korean frigate is instantly world news instead of a vague rumor.—
David Szondy
May 31,
New Atlas,
31 May 2025
Adjective
-
In the wake of multiple plane crashes, and amid erratic federal policies and denials and detentions at border crossings, summer travel in the U.S. is in an uneasy state.—
Kevinisha Walker,
Los Angeles Times,
2 June 2025
-
The opening moments cement its tonal dissonance as, with a twang of Daniel Kowalski’s spare, uneasy score, a brief prologue with fire, a flailing figure and mutterings about Satan snaps to a far more banal view of an empty street lined with dim, shuttered houses under a low, gray sky.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
30 May 2025
Adjective
-
Are sore, achy feet keeping you from putting your best foot forward?—
Andee Tagle,
NPR,
7 June 2025
-
Meyers insisted that this was the only sore subject between the two comedians.—
Wesley Stenzel,
EW.com,
4 June 2025
Adjective
-
From awkward silences to unresolved tensions, most of us would rather scroll, text, or disappear than risk a moment of raw, honest connection.—
Margie Warrell,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
-
The feelings of being sweaty, red-faced and kind of awkward is very familiar to me.—
Mark Olsen,
Los Angeles Times,
5 June 2025
Adjective
-
These transitions, between past and present, are sometimes clumsy but sometimes genuinely sweet, as with an old letter that near-simultaneously is dictated and written, received and read, and finally rediscovered (and only partially understood) in the 21st century.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
27 May 2025
-
Wildlife officials helped remove a black bear found hanging out in the kitchen of a Kentucky home after an impressive, yet clumsy break-in, photos show.—
Mitchell Willetts,
Kansas City Star,
25 May 2025
Adjective
-
And sometimes, that transformation, though painful, can deepen our capacity for compassion, connection, and appreciation for the precious gift of life itself.—
Charell G. Coleman,
Forbes.com,
4 June 2025
-
For millions of Americans, the road to an Alzheimer’s diagnosis is slow and painful, sought only when symptoms become unmistakable.—
Louise Jacobsen Fisher,
The Orlando Sentinel,
4 June 2025
Adjective
-
Castillo’s short novel is a giddy character study of an unpleasant young male type.—
Jasmine Vojdani,
Vulture,
2 June 2025
-
To neutralize unpleasant smells, add a few pots of aromatic herbs, like rosemary and lavender.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
31 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Uncomfortable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/uncomfortable. Accessed 12 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share