1
as in rebellious
given to resisting authority or another's control
unruly pupils were given detention as a matter of course
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stubborn
given to resisting control or discipline by others
a camp that was known as a place where unruly youths were given their last chance to shape up
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in anarchical
not restrained by or under the control of legal authority
unruly mobs roamed the streets of the capital after the government leaders had fled
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unruly
The charges stem from an incident on July 7 when Hodgson was off-duty and alleged to have been unruly at a popular boardwalk destination filled with restaurants and shops.
—
Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC news, 27 Aug. 2025
Bitcoin, once the unruly child of finance, is showing signs of maturity as its wild swings fade, forcing speculative traders to hunt for a new playground.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 22 Aug. 2025
In the teaser, some of the department's patients include a newborn baby and an unruly person thrashing around in an ambulance.
—Julia Moore, People.com, 21 Aug. 2025
Root for the Ravens, watch a satire of a popular cops and lawyers TV show, go to a classic rock concert, learn about Baltimore’s unruly past or see the return of the first summer blockbuster that urged you not to go into the water.
—John Coffren, Baltimore Sun, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unruly
Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC news, 27 Aug. 2025
Bitcoin, once the unruly child of finance, is showing signs of maturity as its wild swings fade, forcing speculative traders to hunt for a new playground.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 22 Aug. 2025
In the teaser, some of the department's patients include a newborn baby and an unruly person thrashing around in an ambulance.
—Julia Moore, People.com, 21 Aug. 2025
Root for the Ravens, watch a satire of a popular cops and lawyers TV show, go to a classic rock concert, learn about Baltimore’s unruly past or see the return of the first summer blockbuster that urged you not to go into the water.
—John Coffren, Baltimore Sun, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unruly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unruly
Adjective
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Written by Kaitlin Reilly and Dorian Keyes, the film follows a rebellious bad boy and a type-A overachiever who join forces to win the student body presidency – and maybe each other’s hearts along the way.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
8 Sep. 2025
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In business, as in life, there are times when conformity is an asset, but in others, embracing your individuality, inhabiting your rebellious spirit and being a true trailblazer are what lead to success.—
Paul Fitzgerald,
Rolling Stone,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Viewers were quick to point out the hilarity of the dog's stubborn protest, with many suggesting that the dachshund had already claimed permanent rights to the bed.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
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The stubborn myth that Jews are too safe to be targets is colliding with a painful new reality.—
Andrew Weinstein,
Time,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The rebel run is the biggest of them all.—
George Caulkin,
New York Times,
6 Sep. 2025
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Humanitarian organizations estimate over 13 million people have been displaced by the fighting between the government’s military forces and the rebel RSF fighters, with famine and disease a by-product of the struggle for power.—
Rory Fleming,
CNN Money,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Young adults living at home Rising inflation, increasing student debt and unmanageable housing and rent prices are some indicators of why young people have chosen to live with their parents.—
Sara Chernikoff,
USA Today,
3 Sep. 2025
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The popularity Nirvana gained at stupefying speed and unmanageable proportions in 1991 is impossible to replicate in the culture and music industry of 2025.—
Chris R. Morgan,
The Washington Examiner,
22 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The Office of the Inspector General launched a criminal investigation and determined the shots had been fired from where two FBI agents and an Oregon State Police officer had been standing.—
Nicole Blanchard,
Idaho Statesman,
7 Sep. 2025
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Abrego was brought back in June to face criminal charges of transporting migrants living in the United States illegally.—
Ted Hesson,
USA Today,
7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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But to Hollywood, Pusser’s defiant story was irresistible.—
Faith Karimi,
CNN Money,
11 Sep. 2025
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A day earlier, at his pre-match news conference, Pochettino sounded defensive and defiant.—
Henry Bushnell,
New York Times,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The main risk is that these batteries can overheat and go into thermal runaway, a chain reaction that occurs when a lithium-ion cell enters an uncontrollable, self-heating state—resulting in extremely high temperature, smoke and, ultimately, a fire that is notoriously difficult to put out.—
Suzanne Rowan Kelleher,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
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See a doctor if your bumps do not improve with home care or if the itching is uncontrollable.—
Carrie Madormo,
Health,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The film was One Battle After Another, Anderson’s high-octane adaptation of Vineland, Thomas Pynchon’s anarchic 1990 novel about a crew of former leftist revolutionaries — the French 75 — living in a slightly more dystopian version of present-day America.—
Seija Rankin,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Sep. 2025
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Its conceit is a neat one for a film — and totally believable for a family history from anarchic Eastern Europe after the Second World War.—
Adam Solomons,
IndieWire,
28 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unruly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unruly. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
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