adjective
-
not comfortable
-
feeling or causing discomfort or unease; disquieting
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of uncomfortable
First recorded in 1585–95; un- 1 + comfortable
Explanation
If it's very hot or very cold in the room, chances are you are going to feel uncomfortable or ill-at-ease. The word uncomfortable comes from the prefix un- meaning "not" and comfortable meaning "affording comfort." When something is uncomfortable, it doesn't allow you to relax. A hard chair can be uncomfortable. So can a tense situation in which two people are arguing. Someone can make you feel uncomfortable by saying something inappropriate.
Vocabulary lists containing uncomfortable
"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 12–15
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un-
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un-
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Nick Lichtenberg reports for Fortune on economist Tyler Cowen, who explains why a technological revolution that makes various services more plentiful and cheap may be uncomfortable for some but is exactly what the U.S. needs.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026
So you never felt like you were in the Wild West doing this passionate thing that felt uncomfortable.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026
He acknowledged in his interview that he apologised to the complainant during the meeting but he said it was due to her having previously felt "uncomfortable" and he "accepted that was how she felt".
From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026
Because the method does not require a needle, it could offer an alternative for people who are uncomfortable with injections.
From Science Daily • Jun. 5, 2026
Given my roots, this made me feel uncomfortable.
From "Reaching for the Moon" by Katherine Johnson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
