untoward

[US]/ʌntə'wɔːd/
[UK]/ʌn'tɔrd/
Frequency: Very High

Translation

adj. unexpected; contrary to what was desired; happening by chance.

Phrases & Collocations

untoward incident

untoward behavior

untoward consequences

Example Sentences

untoward jokes and racial remarks.

Untoward circumstances prevent me from being with you on this festive occasion.

the sect claims to disencumber adherents of the untoward effects of past traumas.

both tried to behave as if nothing untoward had happened.

nothing that I have read about the case leads me to the conclusion that anything untoward happened.

and mark thee well, greybeard, should aught untoward befall, thy old head shall answer for his—and a murrain on both of them!’

was buried with indecent haste;indecorous behavior;language unbecoming to a lady;unseemly to use profanity;moved to curb their untoward ribaldry.

Results:The effect of granule for relieving worriment was better than that of alprazolam (P<0.01) ,and the untoward reaction in the former was less than that in the latter (P<0.01) .

Real-world Examples

At least we've confirmed that they were up to something untoward.

Source: Sherlock Holmes: The Basic Deduction Method Season 2

It was necessary to choose some less untoward hour than ten o'clock at night.

Source: Returning Home

He bore the honor gravely and with no untoward conceit, as though it were only his due.

Source: Gone with the Wind

It has said only that President Trump hasn't gotten involved in this, that there's been no untoward contact.

Source: NPR News Compilation November 2017

Yet his frantic bursts of irascibility would be followed by graceful and kind conversation, as though nothing was untoward.

Source: The Economist (Summary)

A brief search was made but they found nothing untoward.

Source: Langman OCLM-01 words

Her efforts in this line, however, were brought to an abrupt close by an untoward accident, which quenched her ardor.

Source: Little Women (Bilingual Edition)

Salk didn't create the media circus, but still, his spot in the limelight was seen as kind of untoward by his peers.

Source: What it takes: Celebrity Interviews

Oh, I'm not suggesting anything untoward.

Source: Scorpion Queen Season 1

What was the use of untoward candour?

Source: A pair of blue eyes (Part 2)

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