uncomfortable

[uhn-kuhmf-tuh-buhl, -kuhm-fer-tuh-buhl]

adjective

1. causing discomfort or distress; painful; irritating.

2. in a state of discomfort; uneasy; conscious of stress or strain.

   Synonyms: strained, nervous, awkward

uncomfortable

/ ʌnˈkʌmftəbəl /

adjective

1. not comfortable

2. feeling or causing discomfort or unease; disquieting

Other Word Forms

• uncomfortableness noun
• uncomfortably adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of uncomfortable¹

First recorded in 1585–95; un- ¹ + comfortable

Example Sentences

Wall Street is asking an uncomfortable question it had avoided all year: Has the equity rally finally run out of road?

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

If you’re uncomfortable and feel better at home, leave earlier than you originally scheduled.

Read more on Salon

By subsequently taxing hard to double the amount of breathing space or headroom to £22bn a year around her borrowing targets, Reeves gets space from the uncomfortable glare of the markets.

Read more on BBC

Suddenly, Wall Street is asking an uncomfortable question it had avoided all year: Has the equity rally finally run out of road?

Read more on MarketWatch

It means creating space for uncomfortable conversations and taking seriously opposing views, even those you find objectionable.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• angry 
• annoyed 
• awkward 
• confused 
• embarrassed www.thesaurus.com
• fatigued 
• harsh 
• miserable 
• nervous 
• restless 
• self-conscious 
• tired 
• uneasy 
• weary