Untoward

Definition: Untoward

Untoward

Adjective

1. Not in keeping with accepted standards of what is right or proper in polite society; "was buried with indecent haste"; "indecorous behavior"; "language unbecoming to a lady"; "unseemly to use profanity"; "moved to curb their untoward ribaldry".

2. Contrary to your interests or welfare; "adverse circumstances"; "made a place for themselves under the most untoward conditions".

Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
 

Date "untoward" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1321. (references)

Synonyms: Untoward

Adversity

Adverse, untoward; disastrous, calamitous, ruinous, dire, deplorable.

Inexpedience

Unlucky, sinister; obnoxious; untoward, disastrous.

Pain

Unsatisfactory, untoward, unlucky, uncomfortable.

Untimeliness

Adjective: ill-timed, mistimed; ill-fated, ill-omened, ill-starred; untimely, unseasonable; out of date, out of season; inopportune, timeless, intrusive, untoward, mal a propos, unlucky, inauspicious, infelicitous, unbefitting, unpropitious, unfortunate, unfavorable; unsuited; inexpedient.

Crosswords: Untoward

For a shrewd man like Fauchelevent, the reminiscence was untoward.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

Health

Unless studies are conducted soon, we may lose the opportunity and pay a price in unforeseen and untoward outcomes. (references)

While work is ongoing to seek specific therapies designed to improve cognitive performance for people with ADRD, most of the current treatment efforts are designed to prevent untoward behavior or to reduce the stresses associated with the disease. (references)

Civil Liberties

Benin

There were no reports that any group has been refused permission to register or has been subjected to untoward delays or obstacles in the registration process. (references)

Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits.

Expression using "untoward": nothing untoward had happened. Additional references.

Albanian

i pafavorshëm (adverse, contrary, disadvantageous, hostile, low, unfavorable, unfavourable), i pafat (hapless, ill fated, ill-omened, ill-starred, inauspicious, infelicitous, luckless, unblessed, unchancy, unfortunate, unlucky, unsuccessful). (various references)

Arabic 

‏معاكس (adverse, contrary, counter, counteractive, cross, opposite), ‏غير مؤات (contrary, disadvantageous, unfavorable, unfavourable), ‏صعب المراس (awkward, churlish, indocile, intractable, problem, sticky, ungainly, ungovernable, unruly, wayward), ‏شكس (cross-grained, discordant, fractious, petulant, pungent, shrewish, tough, wayward). (various references)

Bulgarian 

своеволен (anarchic, anarchical, arbitrary, headstrong, high handed, masterful, opinionated, recalcitrant, self willed, self-opinionated, unauthorized, unmanageable, unwarranted, wayward, willful), опърничав (contumacious, impracticable, perverse, shrewish, vixenish), несръчен (all thumbs, awkward, blundering, bungling, butterfingered, clumsy, heavy-handed, inept, left handed, maladroit, two-fisted, unapt, unskilful), неудачен (infelicitous, irrelevant, unhappy), неблагоприятен (contrary, disadvantageous, dyslogistic, inauspicious, inimical, low, mis-, unfavorable, unfavourable, unsuitable), неприятен (annoying, chronic, clammy, disagreeable, displeasing, distasteful, hairy, hideous, hoggish, inconvenient, invidious, irksome, nasty, objectionable, painful, plaguesome, plaguy, repugnant, sour, tiresome, troublesome, ugly, unagreeable, unappetizing, uncongenial, uncool, undesirable, ungracious, ungrateful, unpalatable, unpleasant, unwelcome, vinegary, wicked), непокорен (contumacious, disaffected, disobedient, disorderly, indocile, insubordinate, rambunctious, recalcitrant, refractory, repugnant, restive, tumultuous, unbowed, uncontrollable, undutiful, unfilial, unruly, unsubdued, unsubmissive, wayward), неподходящ (ill-suited, improper, inapplicable, inapposite, inappropriate, inapt, incorrect, ineligible, inept, infelicitous, injudicious, inopportune, irrelative, irrelevant, out of place, unadapted, unapt, unbecoming, unbeseeming, uncongenial, undignified, undue, unequal, unfit, unseemly, unsuitable, unsuited, wrong), злощастен (infelicitous, unlucky). (various references)

Chinese 

不顺利. (various references)

Czech

nepřístojný (improper, unbecoming, unseemly, unsuitable), nepříjemný (annoying, awkward, difficult, disagreeable, embarrassing, irksome, irritating, miserable, nasty, objectionable, sticky, troublesome, uncomfortable, uncongenial, uneasy, unpleasant, unsavory, vexatious), nežádoucí (objectionable, regrettable, undesirable, unfavorable, unsolicited, unwholesome), mrzutý (annoying, awkward, bad tempered, chuff, crabbed, cranky, cross, crusty, dumpish, frumpish, glum, grouchy, joyless, Moody, out of temper, peevish, pettish, rugged, sulky, sullen, surly, testy, vexatious). (various references)

Farsi 

فاسد (Corrupt, Dissolute, Gamy, Immoral, Perverse, Putrid, Rake, Rancid, Reechy, Reprobate, Rotten, Sedition, Sinister, Vicious, Vile, Villainous), نامناسب (Improper, Inapplicable, Inappropriate, Inapt, Incommensurate, Incompetent, Infelicitous, Inopportune, Malapropos, Unapt, Unfit, Unhandsome, Unmeet, Unrighteous, Unsuitable), تبه کار (Villain, Wicked), خودسر-نامساعد, بدامد. (various references)

French

fâcheux (unhappy). (various references)

German

unpassend (ill timed, improper, inapposite, inappropriate, inappropriately, inapt, incongruous, incongruously, indecorous, indecorously, inept, ineptly, inexpedient, inexpediently, infelicitous, inopportune, unbefitting, unfitting, unfittingly, unpassable, unsuitable, unsuitably, untimely), unglücklich (hapless, ill fated, inauspicious, infelicitous, miserable, miserably, sad, unfortunate, unfortunately, unhappily, unhappy, unjoyous, unluckily, unlucky, unrequited, unsuccessful), ungehörig (impertinent, improper, indelicate, indelicately, irregular, irregularly, unbecoming, unfilial, unmannerly, unseemlily, unseemly), ungefügig, ungünstig (adverse, awkward, awkwardly, disadvantageous, expensive, inauspicious, inconvenient, inconveniently, unfavorable, unfavorably, unfavourable, unfavourably, unflattering, unfortunate, unfriendly, unlucky, unpropitious), bedauerlich (alas, deplorable, regrettable, regrettably, sad, unfortunate, unfortunately, unhappy). (various references)

Greek 

ανάγωγοσ (ill mannered, rude, unmanageable, untractable), ανάποδοσ (back hand, perverse), δύστροποσ (bloody minded, cantankerous, captious, crabbed, cranky, cross, fretful, grouch, illtempered, morose, peevish, pettish, recalcitrant, shrewish, splenetic, splenish, sullen, surly, testy, vixenish, waspish, wayward). (various references)

Hebrew 

לא � וח (disadvantageous, inconvenient, uncomfortable), עקש (crooked, hardheaded, intransigent, obstinate, perverted, stubborn, wilful, willful), ביש מזל (luckless, unfortunate, unlucky), סורר (corrupt, disloyal, intractable, pervert, rebellious). (various references)

Hungarian

szerencsétlen (calamitous, catastrophic, disastrous, fey, hapless, ill fated, ill-starred, luckless, misadventurous, miserable, sad, star-crossed, stiff, to sink money in an unfortunate undertaking, unchancy, unfortunate, unhappy, unlucky, woeful, woesome, wretched), kellemetlen (awkward, bad, bothersome, churlish, crabby, cumbersome, cumbrous, disagreeable, disappointing, displeasing, effing, evil, galling, grotty, ill-favored, ill-favoured, inconvenient, irksome, jarring, nasty, noisome, objectionable, obnoxious, pesky, pestilent, pestilential, plaguy, poisonous, to be in a hole, trying, unaffected, ungracious, unlovely, unpleasant, unsavory, unsavoury), önfejû (be obstinate, obstinate, opinionated, refractory, self willed, wayward, wilful, wrong-headed). (various references)

Italian

sfavorevole (adverse, bad, ill, unfavorable, unfavourable, unpropitious), sconveniente (disadvantageous, disreputable, improper, inconvenient, misbecoming, nonu, suggestive, unattractive, unfitting, ungentlemanly, unpassable, unseemly, wrong), malaugurato (ill fated, ill-starred, inauspicious, unlucky). (various references)

Pig Latin

owarduntay.(various references)

Portuguese

sinistro (accident, baleful, casualty, dismal, ebon, eery, forbidding, ghastly, grisly, lurid, ominous, sinister, uncanny), inconveniente (abuse, drawback, fie-fie, harm, improper, incongruous, inconvenience, inconvenient, indecent, indecorous, indelicate, inexpedient, inopportune, scurrilous, unbecoming, unbefitting, undesirable, unprintable, unseemly, unsuitable), incómodo (ailment, annoyance, annoying, awkward, bumbling, cumbersome, cumbrous, discomfort, dreadful, intrusive, left-handed, meddler, muff, nagging, nuisance, pesky, plaguesome, ragtime, rush, shrill, thorn, tiresome, trouble, troublesome, uncomfortable, unhandy, unwelcome, vexatious, vexing, worrisome), fatídico (fateful, fatidical, weird), enfadonho (arid, barren, boring, bothersome, difficult, disagreeable, drab, dull, fastidious, humdrum, insipid, lengthy, monotone, monotonous, muzzy, pesky, preachy, prolix, prosy, repetitious, soporific, stodgy, tedious, tiresome, vapid, vexing, wearisome, weary), desagradável (bad, beastly, bleak, brackish, crabbed, desagreeable, disagreeable, disgusting, dismal, displeasing, distasteful, dreadful, dreary, fearful, forbidding, foul, frightful, ghastly, grisly, horrible, invidious, nasty, objectionable, obnoxious, offensive, repellent, seamy, ugly, uncomfortable, uncongenial, undesirable, ungrateful, unlovely, unpleasant, unsavory, unsavoury, unthankful, unwelcome, unwished), calamitoso (calamitous, tragic). (various references)

Romanian

obraznic (audacious, bad, barefaced, bold, boldly, brazenly, cheekily, cheeky, cocky, contemptuous, cool, disobedient, flippant, forward, fresh, graceless, impertinent, impudent, insolent, nasty, naughty, nervy, obtrusive, perky, pert, pertly, presumptuous, provocative, rebellious, sauce box, saucy, unruly, uppish). (various references)

Russian 

неблагоприятный (adverse, baffling, contrary, disadvantageous, inauspicious, inimical, none to bright, none too bright, sinister, unauspicious, unfavorable, unfavourable, unfriendly, unpropitious, worst case, worst-case). (various references)

Serbo-Croatian

nepovoljan (unfavorable, unfavourable, unfortunate, ungracious, unlucky). (various references)

Spanish

indócil (indocile, indomitable, unruly), inconveniente (difficulty, disadvantage, drawback, inconvenient, inexpedient, objection, obstacle, trouble, troubled, unsuitable), adverso (adverse, hostile, jarring, opposite, perverse). (various references)

Swedish

motig. (various references)

Turkish

uygunsuz (derogatory, illegitimate, impolitic, improper, inapposite, inappropriate, incongruous, inconvenient, incorrect, indecent, indecorous, indelicate, ineligible, inexpedient, infelicitous, malapropos, near the knuckle, obnoxious, unbecoming, unbefitting, unbeseeming, uncalled for, unchristian, uncomely, unhandsome, unpropitious, unseemly, unsuitable, wrong), uğursuz (accursed, accurst, baleful, black, bloody, demon, dire, evil, fateful, hoodoo, ill fated, ill-omened, inauspicious, ominous, portentous, sinister, unlucky), yersiz (Amiss, baseless, beside the point, digressive, discursive, idle, ill timed, impertinent, improper, inapposite, inappropriate, inapt, incongruous, indecent, indiscreet, inept, inexpedient, infelicitous, injudicious, inopportune, irrelevant, malapropos, out of place, out of turn, uncalled for, uncomely, undue, unhappy, unjustifiable, unseasonable, untimely, unwarranted), huysuz (acrimonious, as cross as two sticks, bad tempered, bilious, cantankerous, churlish, crabbed, crabby, crank, cranky, cross-grained, crosspatch, crotchety, crusty, cursed, difficult, disagreeable, disgruntled, doggish, farouche, fractious, fretful, gnarled, grouchy, gruff, grumbling, grumpy, ill natured, ill tempered, ill-humored, ill-humoured, liverish, mean, Moody, out of humour, out of sorts, peeved, peevish, peppery, perverse, pettish, petulant, prickly, quarrelsome, querulous, ratty, rusty, shirty, snappish, spleenful, spleenish, splenetic, stroppy, sulky, surly, tetchy, thrawn, ugly, vicious, vixenish, waspish, wildcat, wrongheaded), şanssız (distressed, down on one's luck, evil, fortuneless, hapless, ill fated, ill-starred, inauspicious, luckless, out of luck, star-crossed, unfortunate, unhappy, unlucky, unsuccessful), aksi (adverse, awkward, bad tempered, bilious, bloody minded, cantankerous, contra, contra-, contrary, counter, crabbed, crabby, cross, cross-grained, crosspatch, crotchety, doggish, dour, evil, fractious, fretful, Froward, gruff, ill natured, ill tempered, ill-humored, ill-humoured, inverse, negatory, opposite, peevish, perverse, petulant, recalcitrant, refractory, reverse, shirty, snappish, snuffy, spleenful, spleenish, stroppy, stubborn, sullen, surly, tart, testy, unfavorable, unfavourable, unfortunate, unhappy, unlucky, wrongheaded). (various references)

Ukrainian

несприятливий (adverse, bad, baffling, contrary, cross, impervious, inauspicious, non-contributory, unfavorable, unfavourable, unfriendly), непідхожий (ill timed, improper, inadequate, inapposite, inapt, inconvenient, inept, naughty, unbecoming, unchristian, undesirable, undue, unearthly, unmeet, unsuitable, unworthy), непокірний (defiant, insubordinate, lawless, recalcitrant, refractory, unruly, unsubmissive). (various references)

Vietnamese 

vô lễ (disrepectful, impolite, malapert, rude, uncivil, unpolite), rủi ro khó bo, khiếm nh không hay, không thuận lợi (unfriendly, unprosperous), không may (baleful, hapless, inauspicious, luckless, unchancy, unfortunate, unlucky), hư (bogus, diseased, naughty, shabby, wicked), bất lịch sự (discourteous, indecent, rude). (various references)

Welsh

trwstan (awkward, clumsy). (various references)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Derivations

Words beginning with "untoward": untowardly, untowardness, untowardnesses. (additional references)

Misspellings

"Untoward" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: untoard, untowards. (additional references)

Source: compiled by the editor (additional references); see credits.

Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams

Direct Anagrams: outdrawn.

-1 letter: outdraw, outward, rotunda.

-2 letters: around, onward, outran, outwar, rotund, toward, tundra, undraw, untrod.

-3 letters: adorn, adown, daunt, donut, doura, drawn, drown, radon, round, rowan, tardo, trona, wound.

-4 letters: aunt, auto, darn, dart, dato, daut, dawn, dawt, doat, dona, dour, down, drat, draw, dunt, dura, durn, duro, nard, nota, nowt, nurd, orad, rand, rant, rato.

+2 letters: outdrawing, untowardly.

+3 letters: groundwater, handwrought, outwardness.

+4 letters: groundwaters, untowardness.

+5 letters: outwardnesses.