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
Deputies contacted Mathis, who authorities said was uncooperative and denied involvement with the animals.
—
Jacob Beltran, San Antonio Express-News, 5 Jan. 2026
Police statements said that Ashlee, 40, was allegedly uncooperative with authorities from early on in the investigation.
—Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 26 Dec. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for uncooperative
Jacob Beltran, San Antonio Express-News, 5 Jan. 2026
Police statements said that Ashlee, 40, was allegedly uncooperative with authorities from early on in the investigation.
—Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 26 Dec. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for uncooperative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for uncooperative
Adjective
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Experts warn that the stubborn metric has long-term implications for learning.—
Kate Armanini,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Jan. 2026
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Wait 10 minutes before washing for milder stains or up to a week for more severe or stubborn stains.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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In that case, the charging order is violated (and the LLC could theoretically be held in contempt), but the debtor did not engage in any willful or malicious conduct because of the LLC's actions.—
Jay Adkisson,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
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Especially in scenes featuring a band’s de facto leader and a willful drummer, there are also thematic echoes of Peter Jackson’s documentary about The Beatles, another example of the above dichotomy.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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When summoned before a congressional committee in December, Noem struck a defiant tone.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
27 Jan. 2026
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Between the river’s source, entrusted to an order of Orthodox nuns, and its southern delta, where caviar bound for the Kremlin is harvested, the author journeys through a defiant country transformed by war, sanctions, and reinvigorated patriotism.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Some researchers question whether addiction is the appropriate term to describe heavy use of social media, arguing that a person must be experiencing identifiable symptoms, like strong, sometimes uncontrollable urges and withdrawal, to qualify as addiction.—
Kaitlyn Huamani,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Jan. 2026
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An additional hurdle with AZMBs is the uncontrollable side reactions that occur when battery temperature exceeds 140°F (60 °C).—
Ameya Paleja,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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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 1 Feb. 2026.
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