NONCOOPERATIVE Synonyms: 101 Similar and Opposite Words

noncooperative

adjective

Definition of noncooperative

as in uncooperative

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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 noncooperative My research in bioethics focuses on questions like how to induce those who are noncooperative to get on board with doing what’s best for the public good. — Parker Crutchfield, The Conversation, 10 Aug. 2020 The disclosures would also extend to activities in jurisdictions that are on the EU’s list of noncooperative jurisdictions. — Nana Ama Sarfo, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2021 Dolphins that partnered with fishers also experienced a 13 percent boost in survival, compared with noncooperative ones, most likely because of the animals spending the majority of their time in the lagoon. — Rachel Nuwer, Scientific American, 30 Jan. 2023 Cooperative birds' cheating rate averaged around 12 percent, while noncooperative birds around 23 percent. — Joseph Calamia, Discover Magazine, 20 Aug. 2010

Recent Examples of Synonyms for noncooperative

Adjective

Authorities said the two men were uncooperative with officers at the hospital.

— Harry Harris, Mercury News, 23 June 2026
The uncooperative witness testimony was a blow to the defense, who also called two of their own expert witnesses to cast doubt on the federal investigation and testify that fireworks were the most likely cause of the fire.

— ABC News, ABC News, 22 June 2026

Definition of uncooperative

Adjective

Part of the problem is that, outside of their tenants’ pleas, landlords face neither any real pressure nor any legal requirement to install shutters and ceiling fans; even owners who want to do so are thwarted by recalcitrant co-op boards or finicky historic-preservation reviews.

— Henry Grabar, The Atlantic, 27 June 2026
The patron saint of the 2024 Democratic National Convention was Fannie Lou Hamer—recalcitrant sharecropper turned agitator and, like the Democratic presidential nominee, a black woman.

— Ta-Nehisi Coates, Vanity Fair, 15 June 2026

Definition of recalcitrant

Adjective

For as long as the American Dream has been around, homeownership was considered an intractable piece of the wealth-building puzzle.

— Tristan Bove, Fortune, 30 June 2026
Two Ships is thus a narrative for our time, when the aspirational vision of oneness has given way to intractable twoness.

— James Traub, The Atlantic, 28 June 2026

Definition of intractable

Adjective

Conduct disorder affects children and teens and involves a consistent pattern of disobedient and aggressive behaviors.

— Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 21 May 2026
Rising gas prices and an unpopular war in Iran have infuriated prominent MAGA figures online, but in terms of GOP elections, the president has been able to elbow out critics in Congress and disobedient legislators in red states.

— Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 17 May 2026

Definition of disobedient

Adjective

And only DeMichelle’s Marguerite has the necessary command to bring this obstreperous monarch to heel.

— Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
And when intelligence confirms that one of their vessels is engaged in armed smuggling operations, the president need not convene an obstreperous congressional committee before acting in such a manner to defend the American people.

— Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2025

Definition of obstreperous

Adjective

For seven seasons, a hodgepodge crew mixing Starfleet and the rebellious Maquis put aside their differences after they got zapped 70,000 lightyears away from Earth, deep into the uncharted Delta Quadrant.

— Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 4 July 2026
This could bring about sudden ideas, or trigger rebellious impulses and creative imagination.

— Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 26 June 2026

Definition of rebellious

Adjective

The Legislature has repeatedly rejected stiffer criminal penalties for wayward operators and stymied efforts to let cities or counties pick up enforcement slack when state inspectors are overburdened.

— Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 5 July 2026
The National Fire Protection Association encourages everyone to leave the fireworks to the professionals who are prepared to manage any wayward sparks.

— Lauren Lowman, The Conversation, 29 June 2026

Definition of wayward

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“Noncooperative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/noncooperative. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of noncooperative

adjective

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