The congressman has been in the spotlight ever since his untoward remarks about African Americans.
Source: tatoeba (982673)
Untoward
/ˌʌn.təˈwɔɹd/
Synonyms for "untoward" (175 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (35)
Adjective(4 words)
Strong matches (53)
Related words (87)
nastynot easyof evil portentoff baseominousopposedopposingoppositeout of lineout of phaseout of timepeccantportendingportentousprematurerecalcitrantrigorousroughrudesilly
Show 56 more words
sinfulsinistersomberstar-crossedstressfulstupidtactlessthreateningtoo latetoo soontroublesometroubloustryingunaptunbecomingunbefittinguncalled-forundecorousundiplomaticundisciplinedunfavorableunfitunfittingunfortunateungentlemanlyungodlyungovernableunhandyunhappyunhealthyunkindunladylikeunluckyunmanageableunpleasantunpromisingunpropitiousunreadyunrefinedunripeunrulyunseasonableunseemlyunskillfulunsuitableuntactfuluntimelyunwarrantedunwisevexatiousvexingviciouswickedwildwretchedwrong
Adjective(9 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: adverse, inauspicious, unbecoming, unseemly, adverse.
- Sentence evidence is available for untoward, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "untoward".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "untoward"
Keep "untoward" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "untoward" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "untoward", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "untoward" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
1 entriesevaluative adjective
More specific
12 entriesadverse consequenceimproper conductindecent actsudden complicationsurprise outcomeunbecoming behaviorunexpected resultunfavorable outcomeunforeseen eventunfortunate eventunlucky incidentunseemly conduct
Collocations
6 entriesuntoward behavioruntoward circumstanceuntoward conductuntoward consequencesuntoward eventuntoward incident
Inflections
2 entriesmore untowardmost untoward
Derivations
2 entriessimilar
3 entriesSample sentences
11 total sentences available.
Tom swore that he wasn't involved in anything untoward.
Source: tatoeba (3282147)
Tom has done nothing untoward.
Source: tatoeba (10775657)
But as soon as her son espied her, bowl in hand, he thought that haply something untoward had befallen her, but he would not ask of aught until such time as she had set down the bowl, when she acquainted him with that which had occurred[…]
Source: wiktionary
Showing 4 of 11 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "untoward"?
Closest matches include adverse, inauspicious, unbecoming, unseemly, adverse.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "untoward"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.