as in stubborn
not willing to do what someone wants or asks for; not cooperative
uncooperative children an uncooperative witness
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Recent Examples of uncooperative
Buzzard had been uncooperative during the search and the investigation into Melodee's disappearance, sheriff's officials have said.
—
Dennis Romero, NBC news, 23 Dec. 2025
She was fired from that position in part for creating division between management and unions and being uncooperative with an independent investigator, according to previous reporting from The Las Vegas Review Journal.
—Mathew Miranda
december 17, Sacbee.com, 17 Dec. 2025
The Civilian Office of Police Accountability closed that case because the witness was uncooperative.
—Darius Johnson, CBS News, 11 Dec. 2025
Is the joke really funny enough to force a crying or uncooperative child to take photos with Santa?
—Sara Rowe Mount, Parents, 28 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for uncooperative
Dennis Romero, NBC news, 23 Dec. 2025
She was fired from that position in part for creating division between management and unions and being uncooperative with an independent investigator, according to previous reporting from The Las Vegas Review Journal.
—Mathew Miranda
december 17, Sacbee.com, 17 Dec. 2025
The Civilian Office of Police Accountability closed that case because the witness was uncooperative.
—Darius Johnson, CBS News, 11 Dec. 2025
Is the joke really funny enough to force a crying or uncooperative child to take photos with Santa?
—Sara Rowe Mount, Parents, 28 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for uncooperative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for uncooperative
Adjective
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These two ingredients mixed together creates a powerful mixture perfect for lifting stubborn stains off grout because of their high cleaning and brightening properties.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
10 Jan. 2026
-
The vinegar cleaning method isn’t foolproof, and sometimes stubborn residue can remain on your microwave walls.—
Gemma Johnstone,
The Spruce,
10 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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As an adult, he was convicted of assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury in 2018 and evading an officer with willful disregard for public safety in 2023.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
31 Dec. 2025
-
Tran was convicted by a federal jury last September for fraudulent collection of Pandemic Unemployment Assistance benefits and his willful omission of consulting and rental income from his tax returns in 2020, 2021 and 2022.—
Rick Sobey,
Boston Herald,
19 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
Vice President Delcy Rodriguez initially was angry and defiant.—
Arthur I. Cyr,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Jan. 2026
-
Venezuela’s interim leader, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, has alternated between taking a conciliatory approach towards Washington and striking a defiant tone.—
Prashant Rao,
semafor.com,
5 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Leaders often blame uncontrollable factors—policies of previous administrations, hiring for a boom that fizzled unexpectedly, macroeconomic uncertainty, the rise of artificial intelligence—but all too often the real strategic issues go unaddressed.—
Harvard Business Review,
Harvard Business Review,
1 Jan. 2026
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The phenomenon of cavitation—the formation and collapse of tiny gas bubbles due to changes in pressure—was considered an undesirable and largely uncontrollable side effect.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
22 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
Adams had carefully shepherded it through an often-recalcitrant City Council and through the gauntlet of demands coming from both the real estate lobby and pro-housing advocates.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
1 Jan. 2026
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Putin has been recalcitrant about accepting previous Trump plans to end the war.—
Benjamin Weinthal,
FOXNews.com,
27 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Uncooperative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/uncooperative. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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