ˌən-ˈkəm(p)(f)-tər-bəl
1
as in harsh
causing discomfort
unfortunately, dressing up for the dance meant wearing an uncomfortable shirt
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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Recent Examples of uncomfortable
But has Barack Obama ever been willing to be uncomfortable in defense of his values?
—
Grace Curley, Boston Herald, 21 July 2025
Trump has always been uncomfortable with the give and take of alliance politics.
—Margaret MacMillan, Foreign Affairs, 21 July 2025
During the band's Boston stop on their Music of the Spheres world tour July 16, frontman Chris Martin provided commentary as a concert camera panned to a couple embracing, before the moment quickly went from romantic to uncomfortable.
—Jay Stahl, USA Today, 19 July 2025
The edges push out his lip flaps, almost appearing uncomfortable.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for uncomfortable
Grace Curley, Boston Herald, 21 July 2025
Trump has always been uncomfortable with the give and take of alliance politics.
—Margaret MacMillan, Foreign Affairs, 21 July 2025
During the band's Boston stop on their Music of the Spheres world tour July 16, frontman Chris Martin provided commentary as a concert camera panned to a couple embracing, before the moment quickly went from romantic to uncomfortable.
—Jay Stahl, USA Today, 19 July 2025
The edges push out his lip flaps, almost appearing uncomfortable.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for uncomfortable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for uncomfortable
Adjective
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Late-night talk shows across the board are facing the harsh reality that declines in ad revenue can’t make up for burgeoning production costs.—
Liam Reilly,
CNN Money,
22 July 2025
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The harsh reality is this: not all cell phone forensic extractions are created equal, and the most important evidence for trucking cases on the smartphone will be gone in days or weeks.—
Lars Daniel,
Forbes.com,
22 July 2025
Adjective
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Olympic Fail There was also an embarrassing mix-up at the 2012 Olympics when London organizers mistakenly featured the South Korea flag instead of North Korea when players were about to begin their game against Colombia.—
Suzanne Blake,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 July 2025
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Not when Inter Miami has the best regular season record in MLS and sees championship hopes fizzle with an embarrassing quick playoff exit.—
Greg Cote
July 16,
Miami Herald,
16 July 2025
Adjective
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Pico’s other headsets are not sold in North America and ByteDance and the Trump administration have an uneasy relationship at best.—
Chris Morris,
Fortune,
15 July 2025
-
The carpenters’ stance has created a split in the labor movement that makes lawmakers uneasy and sometimes spills into public view.—
CalMatters,
Mercury News,
13 July 2025
Adjective
-
Chisholm missed five weeks toward the beginning of the season with a right oblique strain, then sat out of Sunday’s Subway Series finale at Citi Field for a sore right shoulder.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
11 July 2025
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Richardson, who was dealing with a sore right ankle during summer league practices in Orlando, exited early in the third quarter, but was able to return in the final frame.—
Jason Beede,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 July 2025
Adjective
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The house was a little awkward and needed some work, including in the living room, which had a mix of original wood flooring and vinyl.—
Thomas Fuller,
New York Times,
24 July 2025
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Yet that has led to an awkward UX for those who lean into portrait mode.—
Ewan Spence,
Forbes.com,
22 July 2025
Adjective
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And Hank’s own clumsy attempts at hypermasculine child-rearing often come from his father, Cotton (Toby Huss).—
Daniel Dockery,
Vulture,
7 July 2025
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Gone are are the days of clumsy imagery and texts and fake sign-in pages that can be detected in an instant.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes.com,
3 July 2025
Adjective
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Higher temperatures can be too hot for a dog’s paw pads and, in some cases, can cause painful burns.—
Cody Godwin,
USA Today,
22 July 2025
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The tents are overrun by mosquitoes and other large insects, subjecting people to frequent and painful insect bites.—
Steve Bousquet,
The Orlando Sentinel,
22 July 2025
Adjective
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There are telltale signs that there's too much moisture in your house, from condensation to unpleasant odors.—
Hallie Milstein,
Southern Living,
17 July 2025
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Set a Timer For particularly difficult or unpleasant tasks, set a timer for a short duration—for example, five to 30 minutes—and commit to working on that task until the time is up.—
Aubrey Bailey,
Verywell Health,
17 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Uncomfortable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/uncomfortable. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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