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uncooperative

adjective

Definition of uncooperativenext
as in stubborn
not willing to do what someone wants or asks for; not cooperative uncooperative children an uncooperative witness

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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 uncooperative The Department of Homeland Security plans to equip ICE agents with gloves that emit electric shocks to use on uncooperative people in the field, according to a notice posted on its acquisition system. — Sammy Westfall, Washington Post, 12 Aug. 2026 According to the sheriff, Joyce’s roommate has been uncooperative during the investigation. — Yana Johnson, NBC news, 29 July 2026 But rather than being uncooperative, Aguilar would be better off expressing a willingness to review the administration’s evidence. — Editorial, Boston Herald, 27 July 2026 Both men were uncooperative with police, who are trying to determine where the shooting happened and the motive. — Harry Harris, Mercury News, 13 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for uncooperative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for uncooperative
  1. stubborn
  2. willful
  3. defiant
  4. recalcitrant
  5. noncooperative
Adjective
  • Apple's stubborn insistence on keeping base iPhones at 60Hz while budget Android phones offer zippier refresh rates has always baffled me.
    — Kimberly Gedeon, PC Magazine, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Bigger paychecks sought While the economy may be showing signs of acceleration, stubborn inflation has eroded Americans’ take-home pay.
    — Christopher Rugaber, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of stubborn
Adjective
  • The title refers not only to the horror film my protagonist, Maya, is trying to make, but also to the city’s new masters and to those living in a zombified state of willful ignorance.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Judge Darren Steele said the state amended a charge of willful, wanton reckless driving – second offense, adjudication of guilt that carried a $1,000 fine.
    — Ryan Gaydos OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of willful
Adjective
  • Within 48 hours after Scott’s death, a photo of Winston — shirtless and defiant — made international news.
    — Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Teams — worried about how a politically defiant Black quarterback on the roster would impact their bottom lines — over the next several seasons signed dozens of inferior quarterbacks to round out their depth charts.
    — Mike Jones, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of defiant
Adjective
  • Brian is a gee-whiz irritant, with a reckless attachment to the family’s conveniently recalcitrant dog and a knack for making dangerous situations worse.
    — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Part of the problem is that, outside of their tenants’ pleas, landlords face neither any real pressure nor any legal requirement to install shutters and ceiling fans; even owners who want to do so are thwarted by recalcitrant co-op boards or finicky historic-preservation reviews.
    — Henry Grabar, The Atlantic, 27 June 2026
Definition of recalcitrant
Adjective
  • The European Space Agency’s ClearSpace-1, planned for 2029, tackles the harder case by capturing the unprepared, noncooperative Proba-1 satellite and dragging it down to burn up.
    — Wanjiku Chebet Kanjumba, The Conversation, 22 July 2026
  • Dolphins that partnered with fishers also experienced a 13 percent boost in survival, compared with noncooperative ones, most likely because of the animals spending the majority of their time in the lagoon.
    — Rachel Nuwer, Scientific American, 30 Jan. 2023
Definition of noncooperative

Browse Nearby Words

uncool
uncooperative
uncoordinated
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Cite this Entry

“Uncooperative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/uncooperative. Accessed 23 Sep. 2026.

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