uncontrollable
Americanadjective
noun
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of uncontrollable
Explanation
Uncontrollable things can't be managed or influenced. An uncontrollable three-year-old can be a handful, while a politician with an uncontrollable desire for power can be dangerous. If you fly off the handle at the smallest irritation, snapping angrily at the people around you, you have an uncontrollable temper. And when you and your best friend burst into giggles in the middle of chemistry class, it's uncontrollable laughter that's going to get you in trouble. When something is controllable, it can be restricted or restrained. Add the "not" prefix un-, and you've got something uncontrollable.
Vocabulary lists containing uncontrollable
"Tinker v. Des Moines": Excerpts from Justice Black's Dissenting Opinion
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"Fear" and "Violence Hits Home"
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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.
Maxx didn’t reflect an uncontrollable macroeconomic slump or inherent brand weakness, but an operational misstep management can fix.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026
As they strolled through Paris's streets, Anaïs began to feel an inexplicable and uncontrollable need to urinate.
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026
She also suffered an intense fear of men, uncontrollable crying spells and insomnia.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 1, 2026
All financial bacchanals end when an event, often minor but only obvious in hindsight, sets off an uncontrollable chain reaction.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 9, 2026
“Me to go with her!” burst in Jo, flying out of her chair in an uncontrollable rapture.
From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott
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.
