UNGENTLE Synonyms: 119 Similar and Opposite Words

ungentle

adjective

ˌən-ˈjen-tᵊl

Definition of ungentle

as in gruff

harsh and threatening in manner or appearance a demanding and ungentle land that was not for the fainthearted

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of ungentle Notes From an Apocalypse is a gentle argument for coming to terms with the precarity of life, published in a moment where people are facing its fragility in an immediate and ungentle context. — Kate Knibbs, Wired, 16 Apr. 2020

Recent Examples of Synonyms for ungentle

Adjective

Bob Hoskins’s gruff detective, Eddie Valiant, sees them as a sometimes-dangerous nuisance, while conniving film-studio power players see them as moneymakers, and the rest of humanity sees them as shades in between.

— Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
Scott, 88, shares the character's worldview, despite the filmmaker’s notoriously gruff exterior.

— Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of gruff

Adjective

Irving was born in New York City on April 3, 1783, the son of a stern Scottish immigrant who ran a tidy import business selling wine, sugar, and hardware.

— Eric Lach, New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2026
Former President Joe Biden turned to then-CIA Director William Burns to relay stern warnings to Russia before and after President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

— Matthew Mulligan, NBC news, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of stern

Adjective

The increasing chances of being taken, whether one is in a church, mosque, school, on a trip to the capital Abuja or resting at home, is a grim reality that should not be the case given Tinubu’s firm campaign pledges.

— Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 31 Aug. 2026
The chattiness of Eddy’s dispatches does little to conceal that the novel’s Jamaica is a grim place for gay men.

— Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of grim

Adjective

Casemiro and Messi, fierce rivals when Casemiro was at Real Madrid and Messi at Barcelona, celebrated together, a rare sight for longtime La Liga fans.

— Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 30 Aug. 2026
Pearce was celebrating five years of Opry membership and would return later to channel many aspects of Dolly, from her humor and fierce independence to her Appalachian roots.

— Chris Parton, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of fierce

Adjective

The company blends the visual identity of the larger XSR family with modern entry-level components, shrinking the basic ingredients into a package that's easier to ride, cheaper to run, and far less intimidating.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 20 Aug. 2026
The record is 92,003, an intimidating number that AT&T Stadium can easily accommodate, and a figure that is an unspoken goal for an event coming to Arlington this month.

— Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of intimidating

Adjective

The fire remains active in all directions — primarily within the Ventana Wilderness, which is also remote and rugged terrain.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026
Civilian infrastructure failed or disappeared, telecommunications broke down, and hundreds of thousands of people were stranded in what was already a relatively remote, rugged corner of the country.

— Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of rugged

Adjective

Forecasters said the system is expected to be short-lived because of hostile environmental conditions starting on Friday that will prevent it from developing further.

— Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
Electronic warfare systems such as NGJ-MB are carried by aircraft and use advanced electronics to interfere with or counter hostile electromagnetic systems.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of hostile

Adjective

The death toll from severe flooding along the Nepal-China border on Wednesday has climbed to 762 in Nepal, local police said, as rescue crews scour devastated neighborhoods for survivors.

— Bhadra Sharma, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026
The bleeding was severe, her blood pressure plummeted, her breathing and heart function stopped.

— Michael Collins, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of severe

Browse Nearby Words

ungenteel

ungentle

ungentlemanly

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“Ungentle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ungentle. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of ungentle

adjective

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