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.
The fear was that increasing the field by 50% would dilute the competition beyond recognition, leading to a parade of uncomfortable blowouts or overly conservative stalemates between teams desperate to avoid national humiliation.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 25, 2026
Sarris hopes that the novel illuminates an uncomfortable history of Sonoma County that remains largely invisible, looming beneath the soil of wine country.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 24, 2026
The industry is stuck in an uncomfortable position: Volumes remain weak after several years of price increases, as shoppers have pushed back against higher grocery bills.
From Barron's • Jun. 23, 2026
It's not just humans who can feel uncomfortable during period of hot weather.
From BBC • Jun. 22, 2026
But I think I was nervous also because she had a way of looking at me that I found quite uncomfortable, at first.
From "An Elephant in the Garden" by Michael Morpurgo
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.
