Synonyms for unmanageable
- adjective
Most common
uncontrollable unruly intractable ungovernable difficult unwieldy
Synonyms by meaning
Adjective
1. Ungovernable
ungovernable, uncontrollable, unruly, intractable, awkward, incorrigible, fractious, rebellious, perverse, untoward, refractory, indocile, uncorrectable, stubborn, recalcitrant, restive, disobedient
2. Unwieldy
unwieldy, difficult, cumbersome, unworkable, inconvenient, clumsy, cumbrous formal, unhandy, unwieldsome dated
Definitions
- adj. 1
Not manageable; not readily submitting to handling or management; not easily restrained, governed, or directed.
Choose the right word
While the unmanageable or ungovernable defies control, the rebellious or seditious may be forced to submission; as, the man has an ungovernable temper; the horses became unmanageable; he tamed his rebellious spirit.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- uncontrollable I am seized by an uncontrollable wave of sadness.
- unruly The police managed to corral the unruly crowd.
- ungovernable This is Morocco's untamable and ungovernable frontier.
- difficult Explain to him the difficult situation you are in.
- unwieldy The vacuum cleaner is a bit unwieldy.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| unmanageable | steady | |
| uncontrollable | rising | |
| unruly | rising | |
| intractable | rising | |
| ungovernable | rising | |
| difficult | steady |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 6 letters
- clumsy2, unruly3
- 7 letters
- awkward2, restive2, unhandy
- 8 letters
- stubborn2, perverse2, unwieldy3, untoward3, cumbrous, indocile
- 9 letters
- difficult3, fractious2
- 10 letters
- rebellious3, cumbersome3, refractory4, unworkable4
- 11 letters
- intractable4, disobedient5, unwieldsome
- 12 letters
- inconvenient4, incorrigible5, recalcitrant4, ungovernable5
- 13 letters
- uncorrectable
- 14 letters
- uncontrollable5
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (clumsy2 = 2 syllables).