1
as in rebellious
given to resisting authority or another's control
a handful of ungovernable students are disrupting the learning environment for everyone else
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in uncontrollable
given to resisting control or discipline by others
resigned to the fact that my cat is basically is an ungovernable beast with a will of his own
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ungovernable
But that was Kilmer, unpredictable, ungovernable, never boring.
—
Tom Gliatto, People.com, 8 Apr. 2025
The result is a massively flawed information market and an increasingly ungovernable world.
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 17 Jan. 2025
In California, the shift toward ungovernable fires in populated places has been under way for several years.
—Zoë Schlanger, The Atlantic, 10 Jan. 2025
The colonial government’s fear of ungovernable Black people still lingered, however.
—Sasha C. Wells / Made By History, TIME, 26 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for ungovernable
Tom Gliatto, People.com, 8 Apr. 2025
The result is a massively flawed information market and an increasingly ungovernable world.
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 17 Jan. 2025
In California, the shift toward ungovernable fires in populated places has been under way for several years.
—Zoë Schlanger, The Atlantic, 10 Jan. 2025
The colonial government’s fear of ungovernable Black people still lingered, however.
—Sasha C. Wells / Made By History, TIME, 26 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for ungovernable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ungovernable
Adjective
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Written by Kaitlin Reilly and Dorian Keyes, the film follows a rebellious bad boy and a type-A overachiever who join forces to win the student body presidency – and maybe each other’s hearts along the way.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
8 Sep. 2025
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In business, as in life, there are times when conformity is an asset, but in others, embracing your individuality, inhabiting your rebellious spirit and being a true trailblazer are what lead to success.—
Paul Fitzgerald,
Rolling Stone,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Beyond Venezuelan incompetence, American pressure and fears of uncontrollable escalation may be driving Chinese caution.—
Wesley Alexander Hill,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
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Unlike the original Izo, Didi is described as an unpredictable and uncontrollable gang leader who has isolated others that are part of the powerful Viv Ansanm gang coalition.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The rebel run is the biggest of them all.—
George Caulkin,
New York Times,
6 Sep. 2025
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Humanitarian organizations estimate over 13 million people have been displaced by the fighting between the government’s military forces and the rebel RSF fighters, with famine and disease a by-product of the struggle for power.—
Rory Fleming,
CNN Money,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Young adults living at home Rising inflation, increasing student debt and unmanageable housing and rent prices are some indicators of why young people have chosen to live with their parents.—
Sara Chernikoff,
USA Today,
3 Sep. 2025
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The popularity Nirvana gained at stupefying speed and unmanageable proportions in 1991 is impossible to replicate in the culture and music industry of 2025.—
Chris R. Morgan,
The Washington Examiner,
22 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The trio – who had never appeared together in public before – formed the defiant face of an emerging bloc of illiberal leaders determined to push back against Western rules and tilt the global balance of power in their favor.—
Nectar Gan,
CNN Money,
4 Sep. 2025
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While Massie remains defiant, the episode highlights how Trump’s threats alone can destabilize even entrenched incumbents.—
Samantha-Jo Roth,
The Washington Examiner,
1 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Of all the bad-hair-day culprits, matted hair can be the most stubborn and frustrating.—
Grace McCarty,
Glamour,
5 Sep. 2025
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Spills can be blotted (never rubbed) with a dry cloth since the fabric is non-absorptive, and for more stubborn stains, dry cleaning is recommended.—
Zoë Sessums,
Architectural Digest,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Shrewd dealmaker Anutin has been a mainstay in Thai politics throughout years of turmoil, positioning his Bhumjaithai party strategically between warring elites embroiled in an intractable power struggle and guaranteeing its place in a succession of coalition governments.—
Panarat Thepgumpanat,
USA Today,
5 Sep. 2025
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And far too often, countries are plunged into intractable conflict that leads to regional instability with global implications.—
Jason Carter,
Time,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Several local agencies from neighboring towns were called in to assist in dispersing the unruly crowd, and no injuries were reported among the officers.—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
4 Sep. 2025
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The National Guard played a limited security role, providing security to federal buildings and agents in a square-mile section of downtown where protests had become unruly.—
Andy Rose,
CNN Money,
3 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ungovernable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ungovernable. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
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