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
The gamble backfired and his centrist bloc lost seats to the far right and far left, leaving France with a divided National Assembly and effectively ungovernable.
—
Saskya Vandoorne, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2025
Meanwhile, the ocean itself plays its ungovernable part.
—Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2025
Gleichschaltung brings the unconscious—the self’s most ungovernable part—into line, and in doing so empties the individual of creativity, vitality, and, most importantly, resistance.
—Zoe Roth
april 30, Literary Hub, 30 Apr. 2025
But that was Kilmer, unpredictable, ungovernable, never boring.
—Tom Gliatto, People.com, 8 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ungovernable
Saskya Vandoorne, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2025
Meanwhile, the ocean itself plays its ungovernable part.
—Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2025
Gleichschaltung brings the unconscious—the self’s most ungovernable part—into line, and in doing so empties the individual of creativity, vitality, and, most importantly, resistance.
—Zoe Roth
april 30, Literary Hub, 30 Apr. 2025
But that was Kilmer, unpredictable, ungovernable, never boring.
—Tom Gliatto, People.com, 8 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ungovernable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ungovernable
Adjective
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As for the Banks sisters, Ashley (Akira Akbar) works through a rebellious phase during her freshman year as Hilary (Coco Jones) goes on a journey of self-exploration.—
Natalie Oganesyan,
Deadline,
3 Nov. 2025
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To be clear, there is no sense that Rondón and Ugás are defending the old guard or suggesting that a docile, starving population pinioned under the grip of a dictatorship is big-picture preferable to a rebellious insurgency.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Newsom said that by sending California Guard members to Oregon and Illinois the administration is essentially admitting that they are not needed in Los Angeles, where the immigration officials they were sent to protect have not faced violent or uncontrollable protests for months.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
3 Nov. 2025
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The cough grew violent, uncontrollable and exhausting.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
An elderly man sits on the floor, dozens of bodies lying around him, before a Sudanese rebel fighter approaches and shoots him.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
30 Oct. 2025
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The 64-year-old actor famously portrays rebel leader Morpheus, captain of the Nebuchadnezzar, in the hit sci-fi action film franchise.—
Erin Clack,
PEOPLE,
18 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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On Friday, a federal judge shot down arguments that the emergency funds can be employed only for hurricanes or other unmanageable catastrophes, ruling in favor of more than 20 states led by Democrats that sued the administration.—
Tara Suter,
The Hill,
2 Nov. 2025
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The Humane Society reminds pet owners that help is available for those feeling overwhelmed and encourages community members to reach out before situations become unmanageable.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Cushla’s world is full of defiant spirits, including her mother, a woman struggling with addiction who spends most of her days bound to her living room and the bottom of a bottle.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
5 Nov. 2025
-
The mayor-elect was defiant in his victory speech.—
Sydney Lake,
Fortune,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
That tone—of pain, of surprise, of a stubborn refusal to be reduced or diminished—is everywhere in it.—
Questlove,
The Atlantic,
7 Nov. 2025
-
If the stain is stubborn, add a few drops of dish soap to the water and vinegar mixture.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Among the recurrent themes are suicide, mysteriously intractable sorrow, and failed attempts at familial and romantic connection.—
Margaret Talbot,
New Yorker,
3 Nov. 2025
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The open-source project has been used by millions of scientists in more than 190 countries, accelerating research into diseases previously considered intractable.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
26 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Trimming can be done more often for light touch-ups during the growing season to keep unruly plants in check, remove leggy growth, and maintain shape as the plant grows.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
7 Nov. 2025
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That meant that Emms pulled double duty of sorts at the London fest, also appearing in Jonatan Etzler’s black comedy Bad Apples, which stars Saoirse Ronan as a teacher finding her class of 10-year-olds disrupted by one unruly pupil.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ungovernable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ungovernable. Accessed 9 Nov. 2025.
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