Word
uncontrollable
Phoneticsun·con·trol·lable
US/ˌənkənˈtɹoʊɫəbəɫ/
UK/ʌnkəntɹˈəʊləbəl/
Definition
adj. impossible to manage or stop. You use this to describe feelings, people, or situations that you cannot keep under control.
adj. impossible to restrain, manage, or govern. Often describes physiological responses or intense emotional states that occur despite the subject's efforts to suppress them.
Examples
“She burst into uncontrollable laughter during the meeting.”
“The forest fire became uncontrollable due to the high winds and dry conditions in the valley.”
“The witness was overcome by uncontrollable sobbing, forcing the judge to call a brief recess so the proceedings could continue in a more orderly fashion.”
Examples
simple
“She burst into uncontrollable laughter during the meeting.”
contextual
“The forest fire became uncontrollable due to the high winds and dry conditions in the valley.”
complex
“The witness was overcome by uncontrollable sobbing, forcing the judge to call a brief recess so the proceedings could continue in a more orderly fashion.”
Usage
Often used predicatively after linking verbs like 'become' or 'seem', or attributively before nouns describing emotions or physical reactions.
Real-World Examples
“It was helpful."
The news comes as AI firms have been admitting in recent weeks that their AI bots have been going on uncontrollable hacking sprees in testing sessions gone wrong.” “As they strolled through Paris's streets, Anaïs began to feel an inexplicable and uncontrollable need to urinate.” Etymology
From un- + controllable.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/uncontrollable