not called for; not required; superfluous; unwanted.
unwarranted; unjustified; improper.
an uncalled-for criticism.
First recorded in 1600–10
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Outside of the uncalled-for bullying, Jessel's sarcastic delivery, her eccentric fashions and her seemingly connected status in the New York fashion scene have really cemented her as a star in the making.
From Salon ● Oct. 18, 2023
Better, but still bad: a $37 crabcake, mushy in some places and dry in others, with muddy-tasting crab lumps and an intermittent, uncalled-for spicy heat.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 24, 2022
It sounds like a deliberate and uncalled-for put-down.
From New York Times ● Apr. 19, 2018
The State Department has called Putin’s order “a regrettable and uncalled-for act.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2017
A perhaps uncalled-for gush of pity came over my heart: I was moved to say—
From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë
Lawyers for journalists involved in the litigation countered that the incidents that led to the injunction were uncalled for.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2025
“The problem with the President’s approach is that it is uncoordinated, uncalled for, and unsound,” he shared.
From Salon ● Aug. 24, 2025
Northampton rugby director Phil Dowson had described the incident as "uncalled for and out of order" and said that there had been foul play involved.
From BBC ● May 26, 2025
“I definitely think it was uncalled for, but I mean, it’s a rivalry game so I kind of expected it,” UNC guard RJ Davis said with a smile.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 9, 2024
“Listen. I just wanted to say...I’m sorry for the other day when we were shooting that scene. Lewis, I shouldn’t have said all those things to you. It was absolutely uncalled for and totally uncool.”
From "From Twinkle, with Love" by Sandhya Menon
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.
