1
as in rebellious
given to resisting authority or another's control
tried to reason with the untoward child
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in uncontrollable
given to resisting control or discipline by others
a program for untoward teenagers that is designed to give them the kind of discipline that their parents were unable or unwilling to administer
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in adverse
opposed to one's interests
achieved great success as an artist despite growing up in a very untoward milieu
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4
as in inappropriate
not appropriate for a particular occasion or situation
unfortunately, one of the symptoms of dementia can be a tendency to make untoward and often shocking remarks
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of untoward
Oh, and there's a human operator on board in the front passenger seat, instructed to remain silent through the trip and be prepared to hit a kill switch in case of any untoward incidents in traffic.
—
New Atlas, 23 June 2025
Using that data, the system monitors the dark web and other sources for any untoward activity involving that personal data.
—PC Magazine, 17 June 2025
At the very least, Democrats and Republicans agree that wafting cigarette smoke in someone’s face and capturing their reaction on video — without first asking — is untoward.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Mercury News, 3 Apr. 2025
The specialized data training that followed the initial development of the generative AI app is supposed to curtail that type of untoward activity.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 15 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for untoward
New Atlas, 23 June 2025
Using that data, the system monitors the dark web and other sources for any untoward activity involving that personal data.
—PC Magazine, 17 June 2025
At the very least, Democrats and Republicans agree that wafting cigarette smoke in someone’s face and capturing their reaction on video — without first asking — is untoward.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Mercury News, 3 Apr. 2025
The specialized data training that followed the initial development of the generative AI app is supposed to curtail that type of untoward activity.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 15 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for untoward
Recent Examples of Synonyms for untoward
Adjective
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As for the Banks sisters, Ashley (Akira Akbar) works through a rebellious phase during her freshman year as Hilary (Coco Jones) goes on a journey of self-exploration.—
Natalie Oganesyan,
Deadline,
3 Nov. 2025
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To be clear, there is no sense that Rondón and Ugás are defending the old guard or suggesting that a docile, starving population pinioned under the grip of a dictatorship is big-picture preferable to a rebellious insurgency.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Newsom said that by sending California Guard members to Oregon and Illinois the administration is essentially admitting that they are not needed in Los Angeles, where the immigration officials they were sent to protect have not faced violent or uncontrollable protests for months.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
3 Nov. 2025
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The cough grew violent, uncontrollable and exhausting.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Working within restricted space, Lanthimos felt the need to go big with the filmmaking, both with supervising sound editor/re-recording mixer Johnnie Burn’s sound design and composer Jerskin Fendrix’s music, which is by far the biggest score in the score-adverse director’s career.—
Chris O'Falt,
IndieWire,
31 Oct. 2025
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Such issues include severe weather impacts, adverse road conditions and trash buildups that pose a threat to human and/or wildlife health.—
Michael Salerno,
AZCentral.com,
30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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This means exposing the shoulders, showing too much leg above the knees, or wearing clothing with crude or inappropriate imagery.—
Asia London Palomba,
Travel + Leisure,
25 Oct. 2025
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Section 5 would've set new terms for challenging material that anyone may find inappropriate, and ultimately vest public local officials with the power to issue a final ruling on the dispute.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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An elderly man sits on the floor, dozens of bodies lying around him, before a Sudanese rebel fighter approaches and shoots him.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
30 Oct. 2025
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The 64-year-old actor famously portrays rebel leader Morpheus, captain of the Nebuchadnezzar, in the hit sci-fi action film franchise.—
Erin Clack,
PEOPLE,
18 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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With 27% favorable and 16% unfavorable opinions among Republicans, more than half of them don't know enough to form an opinion.—
Kayla Dwyer,
IndyStar,
6 Nov. 2025
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The pressure dialed up by Minnesota, along with costly penalties, put this offense in unfavorable spots throughout the game.—
Colton Pouncy,
New York Times,
3 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Including improper cold holding temperatures, food not in good condition for use, and unsafe food storage and labeling practices.—
Shambhavi Rimal,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
31 Oct. 2025
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Raw eggs in the Magic Chef mini refrigerator were held at improper temperatures.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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But a sleight of hand is at work; the maybes of one chapter become the assumptions of the next, and at times contrary evidence is entirely ignored.—
Isaac Butler,
The Atlantic,
3 Nov. 2025
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So, a bit more about that unpopular, contrary sentiment.—
Steve Madeley,
New York Times,
3 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Untoward.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/untoward. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
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