Standard Lemma guide

untoward

adj · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˌʌn.tʊˈwɔːd/
  • US: /ˌʌn.təˈwɔɹd/
  • US: /ˌʌn.tʊˈwɔɹd/
  • US: /ʌnˈtɔɹd/
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɔː(ɹ)d
  • CMU ARPABET: AH0 N T UW0 AO1 R D Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 2: AH0 N T AH0 W AO1 R D Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Unfavourable, adverse, or disadvantageous.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: adverse, disadvantageous, inconvenient, unfavorable, unfortunate

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Unruly, troublesome; not easily guided.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: difficult, fractious, stubborn, troublesome, uncontrollable, unruly

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Unseemly, improper.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: immodest, improper, unseemly

Antonyms: none provided

4

adjective satellite

Meaning 4

contrary to your interests or welfare

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • adverse circumstances
  • made a place for themselves under the most untoward conditions

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: adverse, inauspicious

Antonyms: none provided

5

adjective satellite

Meaning 5

not in keeping with accepted standards of what is right or proper in polite society

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • was buried with indecent haste
  • indecorous behavior
  • language unbecoming to a lady
  • unseemly to use profanity
  • moved to curb their untoward ribaldry

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: indecent, indecorous, unbecoming, uncomely, unseemly

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From un- + toward (“to + -ward”).

Across languages

Translations

77 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Armenian: անբարենպաստ (anbarenpast) — unfavourable, adverse, or disadvantageous
  • Armenian: ձախորդ (jaxord) — unfavourable, adverse, or disadvantageous
  • Armenian: դժբախտ (džbaxt) — unfavourable, adverse, or disadvantageous
  • Bulgarian: неблагоприятен (neblagoprijaten) — unfavourable, adverse, or disadvantageous
  • Danish: uønsket — unfavourable, adverse, or disadvantageous
  • Danish: utilsigtet — unfavourable, adverse, or disadvantageous
  • Dutch: ongunstigschadelijk — unfavourable, adverse, or disadvantageous
  • French: désavantageux — unfavourable, adverse, or disadvantageous
  • French: nocif — unfavourable, adverse, or disadvantageous
  • French: défavorable — unfavourable, adverse, or disadvantageous
  • German: ungünstig — unfavourable, adverse, or disadvantageous
  • German: schädlich — unfavourable, adverse, or disadvantageous
  • German: unvorteilhaft — unfavourable, adverse, or disadvantageous
  • Italian: avverso — unfavourable, adverse, or disadvantageous
  • Norwegian Bokmål: uønsket — unfavourable, adverse, or disadvantageous
  • Norwegian Bokmål: utilsiktet — unfavourable, adverse, or disadvantageous
  • Norwegian Bokmål: ugunstig — unfavourable, adverse, or disadvantageous
  • Occitan: desfavorable — unfavourable, adverse, or disadvantageous
  • Occitan: desavantajós — unfavourable, adverse, or disadvantageous
  • Occitan: advèrs — unfavourable, adverse, or disadvantageous
  • Occitan: contrari — unfavourable, adverse, or disadvantageous
  • Persian: نامساعد (nâmosâ'ed) — unfavourable, adverse, or disadvantageous
  • Persian: فریرون (farirun) — unfavourable, adverse, or disadvantageous
  • Polish: niefortunny — unfavourable, adverse, or disadvantageous
  • Portuguese: adverso — unfavourable, adverse, or disadvantageous
  • Portuguese: desvantajoso — unfavourable, adverse, or disadvantageous
  • Spanish: desfavorable — unfavourable, adverse, or disadvantageous
  • Spanish: adverso — unfavourable, adverse, or disadvantageous
  • Spanish: desventajoso — unfavourable, adverse, or disadvantageous
  • Armenian: անհնազանդ (anhnazand) — unruly, troublesome
  • Armenian: համառ (hamaṙ) — unruly, troublesome
  • Armenian: կամակոր (kamakor) — unruly, troublesome
  • Chinese Mandarin: 麻煩的 /麻烦的 — unruly, troublesome
  • Chinese Mandarin: 棘手的 — unruly, troublesome
  • Chinese Mandarin: 難以控制的 /难以控制的 — unruly, troublesome
  • Danish: besværlig — unruly, troublesome
  • Danish: vanskelig — unruly, troublesome
  • Danish: anstrengende — unruly, troublesome
  • Danish: problematisk — unruly, troublesome
  • Dutch: vervelend — unruly, troublesome
  • French: irrégulier — unruly, troublesome
  • French: ennuyeux — unruly, troublesome
  • German: problematisch — unruly, troublesome
  • German: schwierig — unruly, troublesome
  • German: ärgerlich — unruly, troublesome
  • Marathi: अनिष्ट (aniṣṭa) — unruly, troublesome
  • Norwegian Bokmål: besværlig — unruly, troublesome
  • Norwegian Bokmål: vanskelig — unruly, troublesome
  • Norwegian Bokmål: anstrengende — unruly, troublesome
  • Occitan: problematic — unruly, troublesome
  • Polish: niesforny — unruly, troublesome
  • Polish: nieposłuszny — unruly, troublesome
  • Spanish: problemático — unruly, troublesome
  • Armenian: անվայելուչ (anvayelučʻ) — unseemly, improper
  • Armenian: անպատշաճ (anpatšač) — unseemly, improper
  • Armenian: անվայել (anvayel) — unseemly, improper
  • Bulgarian: неподходящ (nepodhodjašt) — unseemly, improper
  • Bulgarian: неудачен (neudačen) — unseemly, improper
  • Danish: upassende — unseemly, improper
  • Danish: ufin — unseemly, improper
  • Dutch: onbetamelijkonwelvoeglijk — unseemly, improper
  • French: inopportun — unseemly, improper
  • French: déplacé — unseemly, improper
  • German: ungünstig — unseemly, improper
  • German: unangebracht — unseemly, improper
  • Marathi: अनिष्ट (aniṣṭa) — unseemly, improper
  • Norwegian Bokmål: upassende — unseemly, improper
  • Norwegian Bokmål: ufin — unseemly, improper
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: upassande — unseemly, improper
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: ufin — unseemly, improper
  • Occitan: impròpri — unseemly, improper
  • Polish: niewłaściwy — unseemly, improper
  • Polish: niestosowny — unseemly, improper
  • Portuguese: inadequado — unseemly, improper
  • Portuguese: indecoroso — unseemly, improper
  • Slovak: nevhodný — unseemly, improper
  • Spanish: impropio — unseemly, improper