UNMANAGEABLE Synonyms: 64 Similar and Opposite Words

unmanageable

adjective

ˌən-ˈma-ni-jə-bəl

Definition of unmanageable

as in uncontrollable

given to resisting control or discipline by others an unmanageable dog who had to be returned to the pound

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 unmanageable Unkempt vines will continue to grow vigorously and become unmanageable. — Derek Carwood, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 June 2026 Today, people amass unmanageable debt simply to keep faith with a story that feels increasingly detached from their reality. — Hua Hsu, New Yorker, 22 June 2026 When your credit card debt is unmanageable, check with the National Foundation for Credit Counseling about what other options might be available. — Jeanne Sahadi, CNN Money, 17 June 2026 Its loss leaves a noticeable gap in the network, but not an unmanageable one, scientists say. — Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 17 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for unmanageable

Recent Examples of Synonyms for unmanageable

Adjective

As surveillance and interrogation deepen, the line between loyalty and obsession blurs, leading both men into a dangerous and uncontrollable connection.

— Matt Grobar, Deadline, 3 Aug. 2026
To recontrol the uncontrollable, Lillian casts a hex on her ex-lover Henry, but this all-too-relatable impulse could have serious consequences.

— The Week US, TheWeek, 31 July 2026

Definition of uncontrollable

Adjective

Have a stubborn stain or lingering odor somewhere in your home?

— Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 3 Aug. 2026
Pair them with the Corn Boats so your cob doesn't roll away; the incredibly handy Corn Stripper, which removes kernels from the cob in one smooth, easy motion; and the Corn Brush, which removes stubborn corn silk easily.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of stubborn

Adjective

Recognizing the intractable nature of this problem, Gulf states are already planning to reduce their reliance on the strait, with Saudi Arabia and the UAE likely best positioned to develop new oil shipping routes.

— Michael P. Dempsey, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026
Part of what makes the conflict intractable is who is not harvesting these sharks.

— Kate Waxman, Sun Sentinel, 19 July 2026

Definition of intractable

Adjective

Video shows hordes of apparently military-aged men smiling and posing for cameras, some carrying swimming flippers, and sprinting through the streets as authorities struggle to corral the unruly masses.

— Robert McGreevy, FOXNews.com, 30 July 2026
In one snap, the President, viewed from above, points his finger crossly, as if scolding a scrum of unruly children.

— Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 24 July 2026

Definition of unruly

Adjective

While founder control is cited for long-term vision, the piece suggests alternative models like steward-ownership could foster accountability without sacrificing strategic focus, urging regulators to adapt to this new era of concentrated, potentially ungovernable corporate power.

— Mary Johnstone-Louis, Forbes.com, 20 June 2026
The vampiric Goldman Sachs that Taibbi describes is an institution, a system that became too big to fail, and thus ungovernable.

— Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 20 June 2026

Definition of ungovernable

Adjective

For a long time, we’ve all been told that remastering the older Super Robot Wars games was extremely difficult, due to all the licensing and other costs involved.

— Ollie Barder, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
After three difficult years, armed groups loyal to Tehran appear to be bouncing back across the Middle East, reinforcing Iran’s leverage in its war with the US and Israel.

— Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026

Definition of difficult

Adjective

Part of the problem is that, outside of their tenants’ pleas, landlords face neither any real pressure nor any legal requirement to install shutters and ceiling fans; even owners who want to do so are thwarted by recalcitrant co-op boards or finicky historic-preservation reviews.

— Henry Grabar, The Atlantic, 27 June 2026
The patron saint of the 2024 Democratic National Convention was Fannie Lou Hamer—recalcitrant sharecropper turned agitator and, like the Democratic presidential nominee, a black woman.

— Ta-Nehisi Coates, Vanity Fair, 15 June 2026

Definition of recalcitrant

Adjective

Now, the wayward upper-stage is on a course to crash into the moon, leaving a fresh crater.

— Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 30 July 2026
The plane — heading from Orlando to a golf tournament in Texas— failed to make radio contact or respond to the fighter jets scrambled to intercept it along its wayward course.

— Todd C. Frankel, Washington Post, 26 July 2026

Definition of wayward

Browse Nearby Words

unman

unmanageable

unmanly

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“Unmanageable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unmanageable. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of unmanageable

adjective

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