1
as in rebellious
given to resisting authority or another's control
unruly pupils were given detention as a matter of course
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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
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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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unruly
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 unruly
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 unruly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unruly
Adjective
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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
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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
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Here’s the case for Scorpio: Wednesday is suss, secretive, brooding, vengeful and stubborn.—
Lisa Stardust,
People.com,
6 Aug. 2025
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For Baxter and the stubborn Scot, this marked, at last, the reality of war’s end.—
Charles Pellegrino,
Rolling Stone,
6 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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After all, in Andor, a rebel alliance pushes back against an emperor.—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Aug. 2025
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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
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Add automation into the mix, and the scale becomes nearly unmanageable.—
Kolawole Samuel Adebayo,
Forbes.com,
5 Aug. 2025
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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
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No criminal charge has been brought to the District Attorney's Office to this point, said 15th Judicial District Attorney General Jason Lawson.—
Andy Humbles,
The Tennessean,
7 Aug. 2025
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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
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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
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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
Adjective
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Nothing important happened, but something happened, sort of — something scary and uncontrollable.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
1 Aug. 2025
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It's been 28 years since the rage virus — a virulent, bloodborne infection that sends its hosts into extreme, uncontrollable rage and states of undead decay — escaped a lab and decimated nearly all of the United Kingdom, now under rigid quarantine.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
20 June 2025
Adjective
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Amid the pillaging of homes, Roman magistrates were likely sent to the city to prevent an anarchic type of existence, based on ancient literary sources the authors referenced in the study.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
14 Aug. 2025
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But more than anything, anime offers an anarchic aesthetic, one that allows for a sort of unprecedented intensity and tempestuousness, thus offering a unique level of insight.—
Travis Bean,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unruly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unruly. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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