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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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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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of untoward
And the ratios in the new box have the right numbers—no untoward gaps to reduce your forward momentum.
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Patrick Bedard, Car and Driver, 26 Jan. 2023
Emmy Rose took a moment to think about how many of her grandmother’s songs accuse her husband, Doolittle, of untoward behavior with other women.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 2 Nov. 2022
These stories are often stitched together to hint at something untoward lurking beneath the surface of the Atlantic Ocean.
—Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 1 Nov. 2022
Believing that any untoward behavior can be compartmentalized away is a mindset of the past.
—Marie-Caroline Chauvet, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2022
See all Example Sentences for untoward 
Patrick Bedard, Car and Driver, 26 Jan. 2023
Emmy Rose took a moment to think about how many of her grandmother’s songs accuse her husband, Doolittle, of untoward behavior with other women.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 2 Nov. 2022
These stories are often stitched together to hint at something untoward lurking beneath the surface of the Atlantic Ocean.
—Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 1 Nov. 2022
Believing that any untoward behavior can be compartmentalized away is a mindset of the past.
—Marie-Caroline Chauvet, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2022
See all Example Sentences for untoward
Recent Examples of Synonyms for untoward
Adjective
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Illiberal leaders select their cabinet members in the same way that emperors used to choose the governors of rebellious provinces: What matters most is the appointee’s loyalty and capacity to resist being suborned or co-opted by others.Ivan Krastev, The Atlantic, 3 Jan. 2025
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The news is a huge deal because rebellious Prince Fiyero is the ultimate catch for the students and Galinda.Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, 27 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Despite a long and uncontrollable process of detaching herself from family, friends, and even her husband, she was told by doctors that everything was fine.Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 8 Jan. 2025
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The uncontrollable blaze, which continued to consume buildings, has wound up burning more than 11,000 acres between the two beach towns.Jonathan Limehouse, USA TODAY, 8 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Some animals experienced adverse effects after consuming 150-300 milligrams (mg) of sulforaphane per kilogram (kg) of body weight.Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, RDN, LD, Health, 11 Jan. 2025
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The recall classification for the nuggets is Class 2, meaning that the products contain something that could cause temporary adverse health consequences to people who are exposed to it.Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 10 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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In his Wednesday interview on French radio, French FM Barrot suggested that Musk's interventions in European nations' domestic politics were even more inappropriate because Musk is part of President-elect Trump's government-in-waiting.Tom Soufi Burridge, ABC News, 9 Jan. 2025
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Teen Google Maps: New security features filter out inappropriate content for kids.JiJi Lee, The New Yorker, 7 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Our Most Popular Stories of 2024 The artifacts of ancient technologies, the allure of rebel science, and many, many ghosts.JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 8 Jan. 2025
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Tony Gilroy’s series, which follows rebel spy Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) during his radicalization against the Galactic Empire, is pretty handily the best and most thought-provoking project to come out of the Star Wars universe since at least The Last Jedi.Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 7 Jan. 2025
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Governments, meanwhile, may use their powers over information to suppress unfavorable narratives: laws originally aimed at misinformation, many enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic, can hinder free expression.Fergus McIntosh, The New Yorker, 11 Jan. 2025
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Leading books have grappled with unfavorable sports outcomes in recent quarters.Matt Rybaltowski, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Duran had already been charged with improper conduct for his reaction to the red card.Callum Davis, The Athletic, 9 Jan. 2025
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One of the most alarming findings comes when Matson shows gaps in the marble shower's corners, warning of potential water damage due to improper sealing.Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 8 Jan. 2025
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No Franchise Shift Matt Seidler, 19 years younger than Peter, also stated in his letter that relocation of the franchise from San Diego has never been discussed or contemplated – despite Sheel’s contrary claims.Dan Schlossberg, Forbes, 8 Jan. 2025
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Trump, characteristically, did not back down from his original point even when contrary facts became known.Niall Stanage, The Hill, 3 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near untoward
Cite this Entry
“Untoward.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/untoward. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.
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