untoward
Americanadjective
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unfavorable or unfortunate.
Untoward circumstances forced him into bankruptcy.
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improper.
untoward social behavior.
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Archaic. froward; perverse.
adjective
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characterized by misfortune, disaster, or annoyance
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not auspicious; adverse; unfavourable
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unseemly or improper
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out of the ordinary; out of the way
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archaic refractory; perverse
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obsolete awkward, ungainly, or uncouth
Other Word Forms
- untowardly adverb
- untowardness noun
Etymology
Origin of untoward
Explanation
The adjective untoward describes something offensive or inappropriate, like the rumors of untoward behavior that can shatter a Hollywood icon's reputation. Untoward also describes things that are not good for you, such as untoward advice from someone your parents always said was a bad influence. Think about what you do when you move toward something: you get closer to it. Suppose you're moving toward a goal. You are, as they say, "on the right path." But when you add the prefix un- you reverse that, and you're no longer on the path to that goal — you're untoward.
Vocabulary lists containing untoward
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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.
Is she doing something untoward with his money?
From MarketWatch • Dec. 15, 2025
There isn’t necessarily anything untoward about these arrangements.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 22, 2025
"We also had a hand-held scanner, and sirens and flashing lights should anything untoward be detected," said championship committee member St John Burkett.
From Barron's • Oct. 17, 2025
“There is nothing unusual or untoward about team sponsors doing endorsement deals with players on the same team,” the statement said in part.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 4, 2025
The car was half full, enough people that she could call for help if she needed, but not so full that the crowd would hide anything untoward.
From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng
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.
