1
as in rebellious
given to resisting authority or another's control
tried to reason with the untoward child
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of untoward
Thankfully, there’s nothing so untoward about the allegations facing the Clippers now.
—
Mirjam Swanson, Oc Register, 15 Feb. 2026
None of these inspections turned up anything untoward.
—Nate Anderson, ArsTechnica, 25 Sep. 2025
Nor is there anything untoward and deceptive about it.
—Adam Gelb, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Aug. 2025
Nearly two years after Denny Crum's death and an untoward incident that left his gravesite monument at the bottom of the Red Sea, the legendary University of Louisville men's basketball coach's final resting place is nearing completion.
—Killian Baarlaer, The Courier-Journal, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for untoward
Mirjam Swanson, Oc Register, 15 Feb. 2026
None of these inspections turned up anything untoward.
—Nate Anderson, ArsTechnica, 25 Sep. 2025
Nor is there anything untoward and deceptive about it.
—Adam Gelb, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Aug. 2025
Nearly two years after Denny Crum's death and an untoward incident that left his gravesite monument at the bottom of the Red Sea, the legendary University of Louisville men's basketball coach's final resting place is nearing completion.
—Killian Baarlaer, The Courier-Journal, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for untoward
Recent Examples of Synonyms for untoward
Adjective
-
Your 8th House of Shared Resources shifts as the moody Moon moves there, opposing rebellious Uranus in your 2nd House of Resources.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
30 May 2026
-
In a culture obsessed with self-improvement, doing something badly and privately can feel almost rebellious.—
Cheryl Robinson,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2026
Adjective
-
At the same time, severe OCD, intrusive thoughts and uncontrollable crying spells took a major toll on Cust’s mental health.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
30 May 2026
-
My uncontrollable emotions and my identity crisis also hindered me from being able to enjoy the time with my kids.—
Simone Sauter,
Parents,
30 May 2026
Adjective
-
Vaccines can and have caused serious adverse effects (but not autism) in specific populations.—
Diana Gitig,
ArsTechnica,
30 May 2026
-
For example, in a March 5 warning letter, the FDA accused drugmaker Novo Nordisk, the maker of Wegovy and Ozempic, of failing to report some adverse events to the federal government, including suicidal ideation and death.—
Maia Rosenfeld,
NBC news,
29 May 2026
Adjective
-
Padilla saw a study from the United States Public Interest Research Group, where researchers tested three AI toys with a series of inappropriate questions to gauge the guardrails.—
Noelle Harff,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 May 2026
-
There are significant worries that AI can readily go off the rails or otherwise dispense unsuitable or even egregiously inappropriate mental health advice.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Adjective
-
Although the country saw a break in violence between rebel groups and the government in the 10 years since the historic agreement between guerrillas of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) and the government, criminal gang activity is rising.—
Sebastian Jimenez,
CNN Money,
31 May 2026
-
Attacks in the region by the Allied Democratic Forces, a rebel group allied with the militant organization Islamic State, and a coalition of ethnic militias have also hindered the response.—
Justin Kabumba,
Los Angeles Times,
31 May 2026
Adjective
-
The agreement was immediately challenged in Kenya’s High Court, with opponents criticizing it for unfavorable terms.—
Larry Madowo,
CNN Money,
28 May 2026
-
Wasserman Schultz’s overall rating among Democratic voters in the district, with 80% favorable and 13% unfavorable, is a net positive of 67 percentage points.—
Anthony Man,
Sun Sentinel,
27 May 2026
Adjective
-
One metric tracks the number of improper payments states handed out to claimants.—
Sam Tabachnik,
Denver Post,
31 May 2026
-
All sorts of improper provisions and constitutionally contentious stipulations are undoubtedly buried within these shiny new AI laws.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2026
Adjective
-
Still, this is a contrary call.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
20 May 2026
-
The desperate, contrary need to be different — to be florid — pulled me completely out of the story.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Untoward.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/untoward. Accessed 3 Jun. 2026.
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