uncomfortable

adjective

ˌən-ˈkəm(p)(f)-tər-bəl
Definition of uncomfortablenext
1
as in harsh
causing discomfort unfortunately, dressing up for the dance meant wearing an uncomfortable shirt

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in embarrassing
causing embarrassment the uncomfortable situation of running into an ex-friend at a social gathering

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in uneasy
lacking social grace and assurance a person who is uncomfortable at parties with lots of strangers

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of uncomfortable All the scenes were uncomfortable to do, but that was an extremely uncomfortable scene that felt very real. — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2026 That the actress put in the work to match the character’s muscular physique is no doubt impressive, but the number of stray shots of women’s buttocks makes the film feel uncomfortable retrograde. — Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026 As co-founder Jennifer Mantz noted, total surprise gifts carry intrinsic risks, often leaving recipients feeling guilty or uncomfortable when an item misses the mark completely. — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026 Such contract negotiations can be uncomfortable, creating tension that derails a team. — Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 15 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for uncomfortable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for uncomfortable
  1. harsh
  2. embarrassing
  3. uneasy
  4. sore
  5. awkward
  6. clumsy
  7. painful
  8. unpleasant
Adjective
  • And now those still left in the battered city along Ukraine's southeastern front face death from hunger or disease as another harsh winter looms, with no agreement in sight for even a humanitarian evacuation.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Despite low winds and little rain, harsh surf continues to wreak havoc along Southern California's coastal communities.
    — Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC news, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of harsh
Adjective
  • Not merely due to sympathy for the tweens, nor from projecting some future time when the unerasable archive of this yearning might prove embarrassing.
    — Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Celtic exited this season’s Champions League in August after an embarrassing 5-1 thrashing by LASK in Austria, losing the tie 5-4 on aggregate having been 4-0 ahead at one stage.
    — Michael Walker, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of embarrassing
Adjective
  • An uneasy quiet took over the boat as customers waited for another catch.
    — Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Republican candidates are facing voters uneasy, even angry about high prices and an unpopular war.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of uneasy
Adjective
  • Harvard Health Publishing notes that sloppy technique can strain the neck and leave you stiff and sore, which happen to be some of the same symptoms people blame on tech neck.
    — Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 8 Oct. 2026
  • My arm is sore from holding my phone at arm’s length for 10 minutes during the media scrum after the show.
    — Vogue, Vogue, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of sore
Adjective
  • The latest unit retains the same first six forward ratios as the outgoing Carrera T’s manual transmission, but ditches its predecessor’s somewhat awkward and largely superfluous seventh gear.
    — Bradley Iger, Robb Report, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Unsurprisingly, writers have developed a myriad of strategies and tricks to push through this awkward stage.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of awkward
Adjective
  • Some Latinas are nerds, and some Latinas are quirky, and some of them are goofy and some of them are clumsy.
    — Johanna Ferreira, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
  • One of the clumsiest parts of Klosterman’s book is his attempts at political punditry.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of clumsy
Adjective
  • His path crosses with Naoko, a Japanese tourist carrying the weight of a painful past, and Ruby, a young child searching for his parents.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Rising financial strains on American workers are forcing them to make painful trade-offs, such as skipping medical care, to make ends meet, new research shows.
    — Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of painful
Adjective
  • From a computational perspective, Friston argues, attempting to reduce uncertainty—basically, working to avoid unpleasant surprises—is the brain’s primary goal.
    — Maia Szalavitz, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Adapted by Duffield and Daniel Kraus from Kraus’ 2023 novel, this spectacularly unpleasant underwater adventure delivers on its premise with effects that are graphic, fascinating, and occasionally beautiful.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of unpleasant

Browse Nearby Words

uncomely
uncomfortable
uncomfortably
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Uncomfortable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/uncomfortable. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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