uncooperative

adjective

un·​co·​op·​er·​at·​ive ˌən-kō-ˈä-p(ə-)rə-tiv How to pronounce uncooperative (audio)
-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
also : providing difficulty
struggled with an uncooperative corkscrew
uncooperative weather

Examples of uncooperative in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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In a 1,500-word letter to Seven & i’s board on Wednesday, Couche-Tard said the Japanese retailer was uncooperative in meetings and did not provide enough information to move the deal forward. Zinnia Lee, Forbes.com, 17 July 2025 Officers located multiple victims shot in an alley in the 1200 block of west 78th Street who were initially uncooperative, according to a police report. Deanese Williams-Harris, Chicago Tribune, 1 June 2025 This image was a bit challenging to capture, due to uncooperative weather and the fact that the Orion constellation was beginning to set early along the western horizon. Miguel Claro, Space.com, 24 June 2025 Others are deemed to be uncooperative with the U.S. in sharing law enforcement data or accepting back their removable nationals. Chad De Guzman, Time, 5 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for uncooperative

Word History

First Known Use

1799, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of uncooperative was in 1799

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Cite this Entry

“Uncooperative.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/uncooperative. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.

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