uncooperative

adjective

Definition of uncooperativenext
as in stubborn
not willing to do what someone wants or asks for; not cooperative uncooperative children an uncooperative witness

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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 uncooperative 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, 22 June 2026 Kingsbury and defense lawyer Linda Parisi, who represents Dandrae Martin, stressed the chaotic nature of the scene and the uncooperative crowd. — Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 12 May 2026 If a fraudulent provider is uncooperative, unreachable, or no longer operating, the beneficiary may remain reflected in Medicare systems as if an active hospice election still exists. — Wes Kilgore, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026 However, Gary said the owner was uncooperative and intentionally took the dog out of ACS’s jurisdiction, preventing officers from placing the dog in quarantine after the child was bitten. — Jacob Beltran, San Antonio Express-News, 8 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for uncooperative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for uncooperative
  1. stubborn
  2. willful
  3. defiant
  4. uncontrollable
  5. recalcitrant
Adjective
  • Colombia earned its passage into the round of 16 with a 1-0 win over stubborn Ghana.
    — Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
  • Pickle Robot’s Physical AI unloaders tackle the dock door bottleneck, which is a stubborn pain point in inbound logistics, while AmbiStack handles the structured, high-volume stacking that feeds downstream operations.
    — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 6 July 2026
Definition of stubborn
Adjective
  • In 2018, the IRS closed the Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Program (OVDP), ending the formal disclosure program designed primarily for taxpayers with potential criminal exposure or willful violations relating to unreported offshore holdings.
    — Virginia La Torre Jeker, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • Federal law generally prohibits direct service connection for addiction classified as resulting from willful misconduct.
    — Daniel Fusch, USA Today, 29 June 2026
Definition of willful
Adjective
  • Femi was defiant as he was interviewed in the ring following his victory.
    — Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 29 June 2026
  • Laurie Whitwell Were South Africa unlucky after defiant defensive display?
    — Laurie Whitwell, New York Times, 28 June 2026
Definition of defiant
Adjective
  • Stop staring in the rearview mirror at past mistakes and uncontrollable chaos.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • The jealousy that emanates from every pore of this guy is uncontrollable.
    — CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 27 June 2026
Definition of uncontrollable
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

Browse Nearby Words

uncool
uncooperative
uncoordinated
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Uncooperative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/uncooperative. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

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