as in rebellion
refusal to obey
frustrated by the boys' unruliness, the lifeguard asked them to leave the pool
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in rebellious
given to resisting authority or another's control
unruly pupils were given detention as a matter of course
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stubborn
given to resisting control or discipline by others
a camp that was known as a place where unruly youths were given their last chance to shape up
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in anarchical
not restrained by or under the control of legal authority
unruly mobs roamed the streets of the capital after the government leaders had fled
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 unruliness
Chris Lau, CNN Money, 17 July 2025
The vaunting acclaim the retrospective elicited seems largely unwarranted, though in several brilliant sequences scattered throughout his work, the unruly Rozier achieved an impulsive kind of mastery.
—James Quandt, The New York Review of Books, 31 July 2025
Despite the unruly acronym, these trucks, vans, and buses play an important role in increasing business efficiency while cutting down on emissions.
—Earl Carr, Forbes.com, 30 July 2025
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said there have been 934 unruly passenger reports in 2025, as of July 27.
—Kimberlee Speakman, People.com, 29 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for unruliness
Adjective
Ishiba’s hand has been forced as the election campaign, entering its final stretch, has focused on anger over irresponsible foreign citizens and unruly tourists, according to political pundits.
—Chris Lau, CNN Money, 17 July 2025
The vaunting acclaim the retrospective elicited seems largely unwarranted, though in several brilliant sequences scattered throughout his work, the unruly Rozier achieved an impulsive kind of mastery.
—James Quandt, The New York Review of Books, 31 July 2025
Despite the unruly acronym, these trucks, vans, and buses play an important role in increasing business efficiency while cutting down on emissions.
—Earl Carr, Forbes.com, 30 July 2025
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said there have been 934 unruly passenger reports in 2025, as of July 27.
—Kimberlee Speakman, People.com, 29 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for unruliness
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unruliness
Noun
-
In a world that equates stress with productivity, peace becomes a form of rebellion—and power.—
Jonathan Low,
Forbes.com,
13 Aug. 2025
-
Call it nostalgia or a rebellion against the clean functionality of minimalism, but romantic, decorative textiles are having a moment.—
Hannah Coates,
Vogue,
13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The story follows Bárbara, rebellious and broke, who fakes her way into a convent for a private room and some peace—only to find herself on an unexpected spiritual journey.—
Anna Marie de la Fuente,
Variety,
16 Aug. 2025
-
The town’s rebellious spirit and dreamy beach backdrop attracted a who’s who in music, from Duke Ellington in the 1920s to Led Zeppelin, who skipped Woodstock in 1969 to play the Asbury Park Convention Hall.—
Jen Murphy,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
For Baxter and the stubborn Scot, this marked, at last, the reality of war’s end.—
Charles Pellegrino,
Rolling Stone,
6 Aug. 2025
-
Here’s the case for Scorpio: Wednesday is suss, secretive, brooding, vengeful and stubborn.—
Lisa Stardust,
People.com,
6 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
North Korea, now a front-line participant in the war in Ukraine, continues to launch missiles in defiance of sanctions.—
Anthony Trotter,
ABC News,
6 Aug. 2025
-
In a sign of the party's divide, Democrats have continued to push for a national redistricting panel that would remove partisanship from the process, even as some call for retaliation against Republicans in defiance of state limitations.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
3 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
After all, in Andor, a rebel alliance pushes back against an emperor.—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Aug. 2025
-
Martial law and a state of emergency would be imposed in more than 60 townships across nine regions and states due to the threat of violence and insurgency, the report said, many in border areas where the military is facing unprecedented resistance from rebel groups.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
1 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Add automation into the mix, and the scale becomes nearly unmanageable.—
Kolawole Samuel Adebayo,
Forbes.com,
5 Aug. 2025
-
The same strange numbing sensation occurred at least five times last season, but Dosunmu simply played on, downplaying the injury — until February, when the situation finally became unmanageable.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
31 July 2025
Adjective
-
Additionally, total full-time criminal justice personnel increased 1.9% from 2023 to 2024, according to the press release.—
Amelia Wu,
Sacbee.com,
7 Aug. 2025
-
According to Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden’s office, at least 25 defendants saw their criminal charges dismissed by a Bay State judge on Tuesday, after no one stepped forward to offer them legal assistance.—
Matthew Medsger,
Boston Herald,
7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
In its 56th edition, the photography festival, running until 5th October, embraces the provocatively defiant theme Disobedient Images, under the directorship of Christoph Wiesner.—
Lee Sharrock,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
-
Even postgrads, navigating early adulthood in a shifting economic landscape, leaned into the aesthetic, dressing with a kind of defiant playfulness that pushed back against the pressure to look older.—
Alexandra Jane,
Essence,
31 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unruliness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unruliness. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share