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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Recent Examples of unruly
Despite those the unruly lines, the paintings evoke the discipline and majesty of the horse, the intensity of dressage, and equine parades and pageantry.
—
Samantha Conti, WWD, 20 Feb. 2025
Complicating matters are an unruly public goaded by an opportunistic conspiracy theorist (Dan Stevens) and scrambling politicians looking to score points, including Mullen’s nepo-baby congresswoman daughter (Lizzy Caplan).
—Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 20 Feb. 2025
Even with the potential uncertainties and negative repercussions that litigation can present for communities, boards of directors can find themselves with little other recourse when facing unruly and disruptive owners who refuse to adhere to their community’s rules and policies.
—Christyne D. Santisteban, Miami Herald, 29 Jan. 2025
Step back and look at the shrub and remove any unruly shoots back to a bud or lateral branch that take away from the plant's overall shape.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 12 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unruly
Samantha Conti, WWD, 20 Feb. 2025
Complicating matters are an unruly public goaded by an opportunistic conspiracy theorist (Dan Stevens) and scrambling politicians looking to score points, including Mullen’s nepo-baby congresswoman daughter (Lizzy Caplan).
—Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 20 Feb. 2025
Even with the potential uncertainties and negative repercussions that litigation can present for communities, boards of directors can find themselves with little other recourse when facing unruly and disruptive owners who refuse to adhere to their community’s rules and policies.
—Christyne D. Santisteban, Miami Herald, 29 Jan. 2025
Step back and look at the shrub and remove any unruly shoots back to a bud or lateral branch that take away from the plant's overall shape.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 12 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unruly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unruly
Adjective
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The wildly rebellious press across Europe are a vibrant sign of its free speech.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN,
14 Feb. 2025
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Luna will meet with rebellious Uranus in a surprising trine, bringing a jolt of excitement and unexpected revelations to your love life.—
Valerie Mesa,
People.com,
14 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Fiscal and monetary policy are walking a tightrope between weak real growth and stubborn inflation.—
William Pesek,
Forbes,
21 Feb. 2025
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The financial outlook from nation’s largest retailer, which has thrived amid stubborn inflation, delivered a jolt across the retail sector.—
Anne D’Innocenzio,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The rebel group’s capture of swathes of the east and valuable mineral deposits has fanned fears of a wider war.—
Reuters,
CNN,
24 Feb. 2025
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When militants led by the rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham reached Damascus last December, the capital fell without a fight.—
Marwan Muasher,
Foreign Affairs,
21 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Without this foundation, systems and processes will fail—and the resulting manual, frustrating work will become unmanageable.—
Rana Robillard,
Forbes,
21 Feb. 2025
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Tonight, a key colleague is absent, and the job facing Floria goes from challenging to unmanageable.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
17 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Nationwide, younger people are more likely to be arrested but California's aging population means fewer individuals in the age groups most associated with criminal activity.—
Mark Joseph,
Newsweek,
23 Feb. 2025
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Some 18,500 people, or 44%, of those in ICE custody in mid-February had a criminal conviction or pending charges.—
Lauren Villagran,
USA TODAY,
23 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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That’s a defiant stance for a horror movie to take.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
21 Feb. 2025
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Pierce answered all of them in resounding, almost defiant, fashion.—
James Boyd,
The Athletic,
20 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The most dramatic case study occurred this week, when Trump signed two executive orders instituting a tariff regime on goods entering the United States from Canada and Mexico in response to what the White House argues is an uncontrollable scourge of migrants and drugs coming from those countries.—
Daniel DePetris,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Feb. 2025
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These high winds, combined with low humidity, have created a significant fire weather risk, with forecasters warning that any ignition could lead to fast-growing, uncontrollable fires.—
Hannah Parry,
Newsweek,
7 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The untethered, anarchic, comic brio of Robbins’ novels feels incompatible with today’s world, as though the intervening years have been explicitly designed to stamp out this spirit and replace it with something that can be bought and sold, something governable.—
John Warner,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Feb. 2025
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Thirty years after his death, his influence can be seen everywhere from the anarchic aesthetics of designers like Rick Owens and Charles Jeffrey to the subversive costumes worn by Lady Gaga.—
Kin Woo Gisela Williams Amy Conway Kate Maxwell,
New York Times,
20 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unruly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unruly. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.
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