unruly

1 given to resisting authority or another's control unruly pupils were given detention as a matter of course Synonyms of unruly balky, contrary, contumacious, defiant, froward, incompliant, insubordinate, intractable, obstreperous, rebel, rebellious, recalcitrant, recusant, refractory, restive, ungovernable, disobedient, untoward, wayward, willful (or wilful)Words Related to unruly 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 of unruly 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 of unruly 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 of unruly froward, headstrong, incontrollable, intractable, recalcitrant, refractory, ungovernable, unmanageable, uncontrollable, untoward, wayward, willful (or wilful)Words Related to unruly 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 of unruly docile, obedient, well-behaved; compliant, placable, pliable, submissive, yielding; accepting, persuadable, receptive, responsive, willing; reasonable, temperate, trainableAntonyms of unruly 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 of unruly anarchic (also anarchical), disorderly, lawbreaking, lawlessWords Related to unruly defiant, insubordinate, mutinous, rebellious, refractory, riotous; undisciplined; criminal, felonious, illegal, illegitimate, illicit, unlawful, wrongful; disobedient, froward, intractable, recalcitrantNear Antonyms of unruly lawful, legal, legalized, legitimate; amenable, compliant, docile, obedient, submissive, tractableAntonyms of unruly law-abiding, orderly