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.
In general, people see money as a taboo conversation topic, with 61% of Americans saying they are uncomfortable talking about their bank account balance with family or close friends, according to a 2025 Bankrate survey.
From MarketWatch • May 28, 2026
But superpowered paychecks and a ripped torso don’t necessarily bring inner peace — alternatively, they might give birth to some uncomfortable “Night Thoughts.”
From Los Angeles Times • May 27, 2026
For those consumers who want choices, it means something uncomfortable: They can keep trying harder to avoid the giants, but the giants keep getting bigger anyway.
From Salon • May 27, 2026
At times this season, Spurs have resembled an unmotivated rabble – which is why the frantic pumping of fists and wild celebrations also felt uncomfortable and, yes, embarrassing.
From BBC • May 24, 2026
If not for the young housemaid’s sense of duty—and Simon’s timely arrival, of course—the children might have been whisked off to spend the day alone with Judge Quinzy, an uncomfortable notion at best.
From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood
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.
