1
as in rebellious
given to resisting authority or another's control
tried to reason with the untoward child
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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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as in unfitness
the quality or state of not being socially proper
the untowardness of the politically biased speech raised some eyebrows at the charity fund-raiser
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of untoward
George Makari, The Atlantic, 21 Mar. 2024
In the entertainment world, even mere accusations of untoward actions have caused the removal of K-pop idols from their groups, their existence never to be acknowledged again.
—Rebecca Sun, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Jan. 2024
In reality, news outlets have strict firewalls between their editorial teams and business executives that insulate decision desks from any untoward influences.
—Eric Schultz, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Aug. 2023
And the ratios in the new box have the right numbers—no untoward gaps to reduce your forward momentum.
—Patrick Bedard, Car and Driver, 26 Jan. 2023
See All Example Sentences for untoward
Adjective
In addition, negating painful memories and trying to proceed as if everything is normal contorts one’s emotional life and results in untoward effects.
—George Makari, The Atlantic, 21 Mar. 2024
In the entertainment world, even mere accusations of untoward actions have caused the removal of K-pop idols from their groups, their existence never to be acknowledged again.
—Rebecca Sun, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Jan. 2024
In reality, news outlets have strict firewalls between their editorial teams and business executives that insulate decision desks from any untoward influences.
—Eric Schultz, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Aug. 2023
And the ratios in the new box have the right numbers—no untoward gaps to reduce your forward momentum.
—Patrick Bedard, Car and Driver, 26 Jan. 2023
See All Example Sentences for untoward
Recent Examples of Synonyms for untoward
Adjective
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From the start, Handy argues, the on-screen adventures in teen movies have been targeted to a double audience of rebellious teens and anxious adults.—
Hillary Kelly,
The Atlantic,
6 June 2025
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In addition to provoking rebellious and impulsive actions, this unpredictable synergy can abruptly derail plans.—
Valerie Mesa,
People.com,
4 June 2025
Adjective
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Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease that causes uncontrollable hair loss on the scalp, face, and body.—
Shamsha Damani,
Health,
13 June 2025
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The laptop soon started doing the same thing as the other machine – with the uncontrollable cursor.—
Scott Kramer,
Forbes.com,
8 June 2025
Adjective
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Risks and precautions Research has shown that NSAIDs have multiple adverse effects and should be used with caution, both doctors pointed out.—
Khloe Quill,
FOXNews.com,
18 June 2025
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Hall’s Visual Language Access and Acquisition Lab is a leader in researching those adverse effects and possible solutions.—
Alan Schwarz,
Forbes.com,
17 June 2025
Adjective
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What if the user is in an inappropriate environment?—
Davey Winder,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2025
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The constable’s office was notified of the inappropriate request June 10 when the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force came into contact with Slusher’s request, officials said in a news release.—
Kate Linderman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 June 2025
Adjective
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Yet none of this has dampened Mr. Trump’s enthusiasm for bringing U.S. influence to bear in trying to end the rebel incursion – in part because the fighting has affected a region that holds some of Congo’s main rare earth deposits.—
Ned Temko,
Christian Science Monitor,
12 June 2025
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The legislature entertained several bills—including two from Sumner—to authorize the government to seize rebel property, including slaves.—
Zaakir Tameez
June 11,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2025
Adjective
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Seeing the unfavorable replies, the mother chimed in.—
Brian Anthony Hernandez,
People.com,
14 June 2025
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Across more than a dozen surveys conducted between late January and mid-May 2025, unfavorable ratings consistently outstrip favorable ones—often by double-digit margins.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 June 2025
Adjective
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The man, Lawrence Ray, argued that Hughes’ testimony about coercive control was improper.—
Gina Barton,
USA Today,
11 June 2025
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Tucked inside is a small but important provision: $25 million for the Department of Health and Human Services to use artificial intelligence to identify and recover improper Medicare payments.—
Ali Melad,
National Review,
10 June 2025
Adjective
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Such ideas may have formed in childhood and, given damage to the basolateral amygdala, not been revised later in life, even in the face of contrary experiences, as with untrustworthy individuals.—
Tobias Kalenscher,
Scientific American,
13 June 2025
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As is frequently the case in America these days, those looking for ways to blame an act of terror on distinctly right-wing or leftist extremism will find that the truth lies in a baffling and murky middle where contrary strains of radicalism converge.—
Miles Klee,
Rolling Stone,
20 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Untoward.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/untoward. Accessed 27 Jun. 2025.
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