uncomfortable

adjective

un·​com·​fort·​able
ˌən-ˈkəm(p)(f)-tər-bəl,
-ˈkəm(p)(f)-tə-bəl,
-ˈkəm(p)-fər-tə-bəl How to pronounce uncomfortable (audio)
-ˈkəm(p)-fə-tə-bəl,
-ˈkəm-fər-bəl,
-ˈkəm-fə-bəl
1
: causing discomfort or annoyance
an uncomfortable chair
an uncomfortable performance
2
: feeling discomfort : uneasy
was uncomfortable with them
uncomfortably
ˌən-ˈkəm(p)(f)-tər-blē
-ˈkəm(p)(f)-tə-blē
-ˈkəm(p)-fər-tə-blē How to pronounce uncomfortable (audio)
-ˈkəm(p)-fə-tə-blē
-ˈkəm-fər-blē
-ˈkəm-fə-blē
adverb

Example Sentences

You look uncomfortable in that chair. Would you like to sit here instead? The silence went on so long that it became very uncomfortable. We were in the uncomfortable position of asking for money. I was uncomfortable about talking to them. She's uncomfortable being in the spotlight.
Recent Examples on the Web But Agnes was uncomfortable with the prospect of a relationship that had lost its aspirational character. Rachel Aviv, The New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2023 Some viewers will be uncomfortable with all the questionable parenting, though the show is careful to present Iris as in more ethical danger than anything physical. Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Mar. 2023 Too big, and your feet will slosh around, feeling uncomfortable with every movement, especially when hiking downhill. Emma Seymour, Good Housekeeping, 17 Feb. 2023 For riders who are uncomfortable with that or cannot physically fit, some Tron trains are outfitted with a more traditional bench seat in the back, Disney says. Dewayne Bevil, Orlando Sentinel, 16 Feb. 2023 Some European officials, too, were uncomfortable with the Trump administration's talk of militarizing space. Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 7 Feb. 2023 Similarly, the outsider can raise touchy questions that might be too uncomfortable for an insider. Adrian Dearnell, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2023 These circumstances were no less uncomfortable for either of us, and cemented our friendship. Eviana Hartman, Vogue, 14 Feb. 2023 His daughter is trying to bravely break that cycle, and initiate a conversation that may be uncomfortable for adults and children alike, having created the GoFundMe page on Jan. 23. Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2023 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'uncomfortable.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

First Known Use

1573, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of uncomfortable was in 1573

Dictionary Entries Near uncomfortable

Cite this Entry

“Uncomfortable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/uncomfortable. Accessed 24 Mar. 2023.

Kids Definition

uncomfortable

adjective
un·​com·​fort·​able ˌən-ˈkəm(p)(f)-tə(r)-bəl How to pronounce uncomfortable (audio)
-ˈkəm(p)-fə(r)t-ə-bəl,
ˈən-
1
: causing discomfort
an uncomfortable chair
2
: feeling discomfort : uneasy
uncomfortably adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on uncomfortable

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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