unruly

1 given to resisting authority or another's control unruly pupils were given detention as a matter of course Synonyms balky, contrary, contumacious, defiant, froward, incompliant, insubordinate, intractable, obstreperous, rebel, rebellious, recalcitrant, recusant, refractory, restive, ungovernable, disobedient, untoward, wayward, willful (or wilful)Related Words noncooperative, uncooperative; insurgent, mutinous; adamant, adamantine, dogged, hardheaded, headstrong, immovable, implacable, inflexible, mulish, negativistic, obdurate, obstinate, opinionated, peevish, pertinacious, pigheaded, rigid, self-willed, stubborn, unbending, uncompromising, unrelenting, unyielding; fractious, restive, uncontrollable, unmanageable, wild; perverse, resistant, wrongheaded; bad, disorderly, errant, misbehaving, mischievous, monkeying, monkeyish, naughty; undisciplined; dissident, nonconformist; discourteous, disrespectful, ill-bred, ill-mannered, ill-natured, impertinent, impolite, impudent, inconsiderate, insolent, ornery, rude, uncivil, uncouth, ungracious, unmannerlyNear Antonyms acquiescent, agreeable, amiable, cooperative, deferential, obliging; yielding; behaved, disciplined, well-bred; courteous, polite, respectful; kowtowing, obsequious, servile, slavish, subservient; decorous, mannerly, orderly, proper; controllable, governable, manageable, trainableAntonyms amenable, biddable, compliant, conformable, docile, obedient, ruly, submissive, tractable

2 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 froward, headstrong, incontrollable, intractable, recalcitrant, refractory, ungovernable, unmanageable, uncontrollable, untoward, wayward, willful (or wilful)Related Words bullheaded, contrary, difficult, hardheaded, incorrigible, intransigent, mulish, obdurate, obstinate, opinionated, perverse, pigheaded, self-willed, stiff, stiff-necked, stubborn; undisciplined, unpunished; uncontrolled, wild; boisterous, irrepressible, rambunctious, rowdy; disobedient, indocile, insubordinate, rebellious; misbehaving, naughtyNear Antonyms docile, obedient, well-behaved; compliant, placable, pliable, submissive, yielding; accepting, persuadable, receptive, responsive, willing; reasonable, temperate, trainableAntonyms controllable, governable, manageable, tractable

3 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 anarchic (also anarchical), disorderly, lawbreaking, lawlessRelated Words defiant, insubordinate, mutinous, rebellious, refractory, riotous; undisciplined; criminal, felonious, illegal, illegitimate, illicit, unlawful, wrongful; disobedient, froward, intractable, recalcitrantNear Antonyms lawful, legal, legalized, legitimate; amenable, compliant, docile, obedient, submissive, tractableAntonyms law-abiding, orderly