1
as in rebellious
given to resisting authority or another's control
a handful of ungovernable students are disrupting the learning environment for everyone else
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in uncontrollable
given to resisting control or discipline by others
resigned to the fact that my cat is basically is an ungovernable beast with a will of his own
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ungovernable
The result is a massively flawed information market and an increasingly ungovernable world.
—
Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 17 Jan. 2025
In California, the shift toward ungovernable fires in populated places has been under way for several years.
—Zoë Schlanger, The Atlantic, 10 Jan. 2025
The colonial government’s fear of ungovernable Black people still lingered, however.
—Sasha C. Wells / Made By History, TIME, 26 Dec. 2024
In its editorial, Automotive News said Stellantis might be ungovernable but was certainly in need of a major overhaul.
—Neil Winton, Forbes, 7 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for ungovernable
Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 17 Jan. 2025
In California, the shift toward ungovernable fires in populated places has been under way for several years.
—Zoë Schlanger, The Atlantic, 10 Jan. 2025
The colonial government’s fear of ungovernable Black people still lingered, however.
—Sasha C. Wells / Made By History, TIME, 26 Dec. 2024
In its editorial, Automotive News said Stellantis might be ungovernable but was certainly in need of a major overhaul.
—Neil Winton, Forbes, 7 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for ungovernable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ungovernable
Adjective
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Inspired by 1953’s The Wild One starring Marlon Brando, the song and video captures the rebellious spirit of the cult classic, with scenes of a motorcycle being driven on an open road and birds in flight.—
Althea Legaspi,
Rolling Stone,
4 June 2025
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Many historians estimate that at least 15 to 20 percent of the population remained loyal to the crown, some even taking up arms against their rebellious neighbors and fighting alongside the British.—
Greg Daugherty,
Smithsonian Magazine,
4 June 2025
Adjective
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Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease that causes uncontrollable hair loss on the scalp, face, and body.—
Shamsha Damani,
Health,
13 June 2025
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The laptop soon started doing the same thing as the other machine – with the uncontrollable cursor.—
Scott Kramer,
Forbes.com,
8 June 2025
Adjective
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Yet none of this has dampened Mr. Trump’s enthusiasm for bringing U.S. influence to bear in trying to end the rebel incursion – in part because the fighting has affected a region that holds some of Congo’s main rare earth deposits.—
Ned Temko,
Christian Science Monitor,
12 June 2025
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The government in Colombia has struggled to contain violence as rebel groups try to take over territory abandoned by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia following its peace deal with the government.—
Escher Walcott,
People.com,
11 June 2025
Adjective
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Suddenly, all their various projects seemed unmanageable.—
Jayson Greene,
Vulture,
30 May 2025
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What To Know New data from Experian revealed that Gen X and millennials were far more likely to have unmanageable debt than other generations.—
Suzanne Blake,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 May 2025
Adjective
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Kim Kardashian made a defiant walk into Paris' Palace of Justice in May, to face the criminals who held the reality star at gunpoint and robbed in 2016.—
Doc Louallen,
ABC News,
6 June 2025
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In an era defined by digital speed, algorithmic curation, and disposable listening, Gearbox Records has carved out a defiant space for intentionality, sonic depth, and analog fidelity.—
Steve Baltin,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
Adjective
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Their relationship can be difficult as AM is stubborn and likes to have her way always.—
Carolyn Rosenblatt,
Forbes.com,
9 June 2025
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Some of these infections stop on their own, but others are too stubborn, or too serious, to leave untreated.—
Sam Walters,
Discover Magazine,
4 June 2025
Adjective
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These organizations see quantum computers as complementary accelerators that could help address intractable problems that classical machines cannot realistically solve.—
Yuval Boger,
Forbes.com,
9 June 2025
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Perhaps, some mused, the same collaborative spirit could be harnessed to tackle other intractable problems, like a severe housing crisis and corrosive inequality.—
Rachel Morris,
New Yorker,
5 June 2025
Adjective
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Portugal Portugal is cracking down on unruly behavior, especially in coastal hotspots like Albufeira, where tourists can be fined a staggering €1,500 (about $1,695) for walking around town in swimwear—and even higher penalties for public nudity.—
Laura Begley Bloom,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2025
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Before the trim, the pup had an unruly white curly mane that covered her eyes.—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ungovernable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ungovernable. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
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