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
  • When Duffy walked out humbly to the stage, with a gentle handwave and smile, Dupree removed his cap atop his long rocker ponytail, put his gruff hand on Duffy’s lean shoulder and asked the crowd for a moment of silence.
    — Angela George, Sioux Falls Argus Leader, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Tyler Hoechlin will play her love interest, Brendan, a gruff fishing boat captain.
    — Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of gruff
Adjective
  • Raudel’s mother, Vivian Texidor, couldn’t bring herself to show the photo of her son with his stern expression.
    — Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 18 Aug. 2026
  • All of Disney’s cruise ships feature unique Disney characters on their stern, bow and atrium, who embody the spirit of the ship.
    — Eve Chen, USA Today, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of stern
Adjective
  • Crossing $40 trillion in debt should mark more than another grim headline.
    — Carolyn Bourdeaux, Chicago Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Others remained in the courtroom to face the grim facts of what happened to his body.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of grim
Adjective
  • The woman across from me had pale skin and fierce blue eyes behind thick glasses.
    — Ledio Cakaj, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Inter got off to a great start when a fierce long-range shot from Hakan Çalhanoğlu gave it the lead in the sixth minute.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of fierce
Adjective
  • The company blends the visual identity of the larger XSR family with modern entry-level components, shrinking the basic ingredients into a package that's easier to ride, cheaper to run, and far less intimidating.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 20 Aug. 2026
  • The record is 92,003, an intimidating number that AT&T Stadium can easily accommodate, and a figure that is an unspoken goal for an event coming to Arlington this month.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of intimidating
Adjective
  • As the chief medical examiner for a county that stores the most human remains in the nation, Greg Hess has for decades been accustomed to the many that arrive at his office every year after being found in the vast and rugged southern Arizona desert.
    — Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026
  • In other words, CFMoto hasn't simply built a giant road tourer with rugged styling; the hardware clearly suggests the Ibex 950 is ready when the pavement ends.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of rugged
Adjective
  • Forecasters said the system is expected to be short-lived because of hostile environmental conditions starting on Friday that will prevent it from developing further.
    — Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Electronic warfare systems such as NGJ-MB are carried by aircraft and use advanced electronics to interfere with or counter hostile electromagnetic systems.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of hostile
Adjective
  • The original house sustained severe damage, DFR said, and the cause of the fire is under investigation.
    — S.E. Jenkins, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Wage growth hasn’t kept pace with inflation and the city faces its most severe housing shortage in a generation.
    — Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 24 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 28 Aug. 2026.

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