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
There might be more than one motive A person could walk into a convenience store to rob money and encounter an uncooperative clerk, changing the state of play.
—
Victoria Bekiempis, Vulture, 26 Feb. 2026
Her mom was a huge challenge — uncooperative, unsupportive, critical.
—Eric Thomas, Sun Sentinel, 1 Feb. 2026
The researchers argued that by displacing fish that were not contributing effectively, the octopuses were likely able to reduce competition or disincentivize uncooperative behavior.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
February’s planning could come apart, and someone could be uncooperative, which could challenge your confidence.
—Magi Helena, Dallas Morning News, 6 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for uncooperative
Victoria Bekiempis, Vulture, 26 Feb. 2026
Her mom was a huge challenge — uncooperative, unsupportive, critical.
—Eric Thomas, Sun Sentinel, 1 Feb. 2026
The researchers argued that by displacing fish that were not contributing effectively, the octopuses were likely able to reduce competition or disincentivize uncooperative behavior.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
February’s planning could come apart, and someone could be uncooperative, which could challenge your confidence.
—Magi Helena, Dallas Morning News, 6 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for uncooperative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for uncooperative
Adjective
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Governments across the continent are struggling with stubborn insurgencies.—
Obi Anyadike,
semafor.com,
23 Mar. 2026
-
Because that is ultimately what The Secret Garden is about—the stubborn, almost unreasonable insistence of living things to grow toward the light.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Not seeing the correlation between spending and winning, or between winning and bigger crowds, is willful head-in-the-sand stuff.—
Greg Cote
Updated March 27,
Miami Herald,
28 Mar. 2026
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The willful Sun conjoins Saturn in your impactful sign, fusing courage with responsibility.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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If anything, the regime is more defiant, belligerent, and brazen, determined to prevail at any cost.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
25 Mar. 2026
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Rejecting that, Zuckerberg’s defiant testimony saw the billionaire, who doesn’t let his own kids use his products, admitting Instagram, for example, had few guardrails and not much of anything in terms of anage verification system until just a few years ago.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Luari dismisses that speculation, saying her problems are not tied to her rapid expansion, but rather uncontrollable financial setbacks.—
Kenneth R. Gosselin,
Hartford Courant,
26 Mar. 2026
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These caps could eliminate the secret runway to uncontrollable superhuman capabilities while still allowing beneficial AI development.—
J. Xavier Prochaska,
Mercury News,
18 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Consciousness may be the most recalcitrant concept of all.—
Dan Turello,
New Yorker,
10 Jan. 2026
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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
Cite this Entry
“Uncooperative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/uncooperative. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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