uncooperative
adjective
un·co·op·er·at·ive
ˌən-kō-ˈä-p(ə-)rə-tiv 
-ˈä-pə-ˌrā-
: marked by an unwillingness or inability to work with others : not cooperative
the suspect was uncooperative with investigators
an uncooperative witness
… he wonders whether it would be such a bad thing if their uncooperative nanny quit …—
Caitlin Flanagan
Caitlin Flanagan
also
: providing difficulty
struggled with an uncooperative corkscrew
uncooperative weather
Examples of uncooperative in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
According to police, some of the occupants were uncooperative and refused to get out of the car.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 21 Jan. 2025
In July, Republicans claimed that China was among a list of uncooperative countries refusing to take back those the U.S. wanted to deport.
—Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2024
Kerley was not present when authorities arrived, and witnesses became uncooperative, police said.
—Ryan Morik, Fox News, 4 Jan. 2025
He was then accused by the OCE of being uncooperative during its investigation.
—Brady Knox, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 30 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for uncooperative 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 21 Jan. 2025
In July, Republicans claimed that China was among a list of uncooperative countries refusing to take back those the U.S. wanted to deport.
—Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2024
Kerley was not present when authorities arrived, and witnesses became uncooperative, police said.
—Ryan Morik, Fox News, 4 Jan. 2025
He was then accused by the OCE of being uncooperative during its investigation.
—Brady Knox, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 30 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for uncooperative
Dictionary Entries Near uncooperative
Cite this Entry
“Uncooperative.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/uncooperative. Accessed 6 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share