uncharitable

American  

[uhn-char-i-tuh-buhl] / ʌnˈtʃær ɪ tə bəl /

adjective

1. deficient in charity; unkind; harsh; unforgiving; censorious; merciless.

   an uncharitable attitude; an uncharitable neighbor.

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uncharitable British  

/ ʌnˈtʃærɪtəbəl /

adjective

1. (of a person, remark, etc) unkind or lacking in generosity

   an uncharitable criticism

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Other Word Forms

• uncharitableness noun
• uncharitably adverb

Etymology

Origin of uncharitable

late Middle English word dating back to 1425–75; see origin at un- ¹, charitable

Explanation

If you do something that's selfish or unsympathetic, it's uncharitable. It would be uncharitable to throw away your unopened bag of chips when your friend just mentioned how hungry she is. Uncharitable behavior includes things like gossiping meanly about others, refusing to offer someone a ride when you're heading in the same direction, or hoarding your vast amounts of wealth rather than donating some of it to charity. In fact, the noun charity is at the heart of this adjective — as well as "an organization that provides help," it means "voluntarily giving help" and "kindness." When you don't show charity, you're uncharitable.

Example Sentences

The grooming claims have to do with an uncharitable reading of social media posts that reflect a kind of millennial style of joking among women.

From Slate • Feb. 27, 2026

Critics took issue with the book’s uncharitable caricatures of people assumed to be in the author’s life.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 27, 2026

It's uncharitable to bring it up again, but Dua Lipa's first ever Brits performance back in 2018 was so stilted that it spawned the "go girl, give us nothing" meme.

From BBC • Mar. 3, 2024

It’s funny, if glib and uncharitable, in the way that biting satire often is.

From New York Times • May 17, 2023

“I see you’re as uncharitable with yourself as you are with others,” I replied.

From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman