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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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.
"Last year, there were tourists who were taking pictures of us, which was uncomfortable," she added.
From Barron's ● Nov. 2, 2026
Thieves are using spoofed gift-card websites to steal logins and PINs, draining consumers’ balances and leading to uncomfortable conversations at checkout counters, the WSJ Leadership Institute’s Jennifer Williams reports.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026
A cavity doesn't always have to mean drilling, injections, or an uncomfortable visit to the dentist.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 26, 2026
Evans grows visibly uncomfortable and shuts down the conversation when Fielder presses him about the extent of the family’s wealth.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 26, 2026
It made the other people at the invisible table uncomfortable.
From "Bye Forever, I Guess" by Jodi Meadows
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
