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 Removing suckers regularly will prevent the plant from getting too heavy and becoming unmanageable on stakes or trellises. — Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 4 July 2026 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 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

Security experts, however, say these events are likely to continue happening given the fundamentally uncontrollable nature of advanced AI systems.

— Emily Forlini, Fortune, 7 Aug. 2026
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

Definition of uncontrollable

Adjective

The versatile 5-in-1 scissors tackle everything from opening stubborn packaging to cutting herbs and cracking nuts.

— ABC News, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
Supporters say soaring demand for electricity for AI data centers and EVs is colliding with California’s push for 100% clean power, leaving a stubborn gap in round-the-clock, low-carbon supply that should be met by nuclear.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2026

Definition of stubborn

Adjective

Forbes said many of her patients seek treatment for chronic or intractable pain linked to conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, chronic back problems and degenerative disease.

— Madeline Montgomery, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026
Even those who believe diplomacy remains a viable path to peace acknowledge the future of the strait presents an intractable problem.

— Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of intractable

Adjective

Heavy Metal earned raves for its unruly combination of intimate songwriting, feverish emotion and left-field ambition, and the Carnegie Hall performance put that material in a setting almost comically grand enough to match its scale.

— SPIN Staff, SPIN, 19 Aug. 2026
Verano centers on an unruly teen whose plans for a carefree summer are disrupted when his parents welcome an asylum seeker into their home.

— Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of unruly

Adjective

But obviously the Senate has been a little ungovernable on this issue and a few others.

— ABC News, ABC News, 9 Aug. 2026
The question that could cut through all of this is whether UEFA follows through with its threat of a boycott and non-cooperation, both of which could make FIFA ungovernable for Infantino.

— Aleks Klosok, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026

Definition of ungovernable

Adjective

The California Board of Pharmacy in 2025 reversed course on regulations that would have made the supplement more difficult to acquire after pushback from some firefighters.

— ABC News, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026
Striking out on her own was a difficult transition, but embracing her solitude gave her the space to learn more about herself and make her own personal decisions, such as getting her cat or making meals of her choosing.

— Amen Galinato, CNN Money, 23 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

Dozens of Russian drone incursions into Romanian airspace have occasionally caused damage and forced Romania to respond with costly fighter jet interceptions to shoot down some of the wayward drones.

— Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 11 Aug. 2026
Chef, a mentor to the wayward Tony, represents several people who were formative for Bourdain, including the cook and writer Howard Mitcham.

— Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 11 Aug. 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 24 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of unmanageable

adjective

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