adjective
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not comfortable
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feeling or causing discomfort or unease; disquieting
Other Word 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.
“I used corsets as one of my hacks because I wanted Mary to feel initially quite uncomfortable in her own body,” she said.
From Salon • Jun. 25, 2026
The fear was that increasing the field by 50% would dilute the competition beyond recognition, leading to a parade of uncomfortable blowouts or overly conservative stalemates between teams desperate to avoid national humiliation.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 25, 2026
The hottest areas of the UK - namely southern England and parts of Wales - will see the thermometer rise to 38 or 39C, and this becomes particularly uncomfortable when you factor in the humidity.
From BBC • Jun. 24, 2026
Sarris hopes that the novel illuminates an uncomfortable history of Sonoma County that remains largely invisible, looming beneath the soil of wine country.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 24, 2026
“Not only am I uncomfortable at the idea of traveling without an adult, but I don’t know how to operate a train. Nic and JP most likely don’t either.”
From "The Manifestor Prophecy" by Angie Thomas
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.
