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
The sketch started with host Poehler playing an uncooperative Attorney General Pam Bondi, appearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
—
Bethy Squires, Vulture, 12 Oct. 2025
As investigators began searching for the husband and 4-year-old, Miller became uncooperative and was taken to the hospital for evaluation, Campbell said.
—Saleen Martin, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2025
No one wants to appear uncooperative.
—Benjamin Laker, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Sean Audy with the Will County sheriff’s office said the defendant also caused trouble at the Will County jail, including threatening a deputy, being insubordinate and uncooperative.
—Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for uncooperative
Bethy Squires, Vulture, 12 Oct. 2025
As investigators began searching for the husband and 4-year-old, Miller became uncooperative and was taken to the hospital for evaluation, Campbell said.
—Saleen Martin, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2025
No one wants to appear uncooperative.
—Benjamin Laker, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Sean Audy with the Will County sheriff’s office said the defendant also caused trouble at the Will County jail, including threatening a deputy, being insubordinate and uncooperative.
—Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for uncooperative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for uncooperative
Adjective
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That individual brilliance which can produce a moment of magic to break open a stubborn defence is harder to come by.—
Liam Tharme,
New York Times,
31 Oct. 2025
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Be sure to pay extra attention to stubborn stains.—
Jennifer Beck Goldblatt,
Architectural Digest,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Penalties can reach up to roughly $51,500 per violation, along with multiyear bans on new visa petitions for willful breaches, according to DOL enforcement guidelines.—
Robert Alexander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Oct. 2025
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Tessa Thompson stars as the willful heroine, married to a rather meek academic, George Tesman (Tom Bateman), who’s angling for an important university position.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
22 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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On Monday afternoon, Petro remained defiant.—
Nora Gámez Torres,
Miami Herald,
21 Oct. 2025
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This Irish American neighborhood is famous for its quirky upside-down traffic light, where green proudly sits above red—a symbol of its defiant community spirit.—
Lauren Dana Ellman,
Travel + Leisure,
19 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The cough grew violent, uncontrollable and exhausting.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
27 Oct. 2025
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What’s curious, then, is not Trump’s eagerness to degrade us, but his uncontrollable urge to defile himself and his office.—
Michelle Goldberg,
Mercury News,
23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Ukraine has seen Europe step financially and militarily into the void left by America, and then seen the same recalcitrant White House offer them its best missiles.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
18 Oct. 2025
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William meanwhile remained recalcitrant.—
Stacy Schiff,
The Atlantic,
8 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Uncooperative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/uncooperative. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.
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