ungentle

adjective

ˌən-ˈjen-tᵊl How to pronounce ungentle (audio)
Definition of ungentlenext
as in gruff
harsh and threatening in manner or appearance a demanding and ungentle land that was not for the fainthearted

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 ungentle Notes From an Apocalypse is a gentle argument for coming to terms with the precarity of life, published in a moment where people are facing its fragility in an immediate and ungentle context. — Kate Knibbs, Wired, 16 Apr. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ungentle
  1. gruff
  2. stern
  3. grim
  4. fierce
  5. intimidating
  6. rugged
  7. hostile
  8. severe
Adjective
  • Matt Damon plays Odysseus as a gruff, practical tactician, rather than an energetically inventive and morally dubious schemer.
    — Caroline Mimbs Nyce, New Yorker, 17 July 2026
  • The New Zealander drew international acclaim for roles as gruff loners and unhinged villains.
    — Harrison Smith, Washington Post, 13 July 2026
Definition of gruff
Adjective
  • Most include a warning of no refunds and a stern caution to know the limits of one’s own taste buds—something too many poor souls choose to ignore.
    — Ellen Fort, Bon Appetit Magazine, 31 July 2026
  • There’s also hints of vulnerability and genuine tenderness in her stern headmistress of the bedroom, which Wilde slips in just slyly enough to let the presence of a heart peek through all the brainy brashness and hormone overload.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 30 July 2026
Definition of stern
Adjective
  • Judging from this album, a lot of grim topics have taken up residence there.
    — Zach Schonfeld, Pitchfork, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Wasp was a welcome breath of fresh Marvel air after the grim finale of Infinity War, but that’s not enough to justify its entry into the top 20.
    — EW Staff, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of grim
Adjective
  • Management tried to modernize a restaurant brand built around nostalgia, underestimated how strongly customers identified with its image, and eventually reversed the change after a fierce backlash.
    — Jim Osman, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • The jostling grew particularly fierce between South Carolina and Nevada.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of fierce
Adjective
  • The lower gravity might make that somewhat less intimidating, but the waves will also move more slowly as well, feeling downright eerie compared with Earth’s.
    — Phil Plait, Scientific American, 31 July 2026
  • The design may also feel less intimidating than a rigid robotic frame.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 28 July 2026
Definition of intimidating
Adjective
  • In Zamora province near the Portuguese border, more than 20 ground and aerial units guarded the perimeter of the Fermoselle fire against flare-ups in the rugged Arribes del Duero landscape.
    — Elena Becatoros, Los Angeles Times, 2 Aug. 2026
  • The rugged Atlantic Coast, forests, and historic towns await retirees in the Northeast.
    — Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of rugged
Adjective
  • The board of Scripps rejected Sinclair’s hostile bid in December.
    — Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 6 Aug. 2026
  • The documentary depicts a scenario involving a large hostile surface vessel formation approaching southeast of China.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of hostile
Adjective
  • Representatives for larger agricultural interests say the state’s cost predictions for producers are severe underestimates.
    — Lizzie Kane, Sacbee.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Cities like New York and Madrid faced severe air quality issues.
    — Miriam Waldvogel, Washington Post, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of severe

Browse Nearby Words

ungenteel
ungentle
ungentlemanly
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Cite this Entry

“Ungentle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ungentle. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.

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