uncontrolled
adjective
Simple meaning
Not being under control.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
uhnkuhntrohldSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ənkəntˈɹoʊld
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
adjective
Not being under control; out of control
“The greatest uncontrolled health problem is AIDS.”
civil engineering
Lacking the usual traffic control devices, such as traffic lights, pedestrian signals, pavement markings, traffic signs, or a crossing guard.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- B2 · Upper Intermediate (estimated)
- Frequency
- Uncommon
- Typical Use
- Varies by meaning
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: Not being under control; out of control
Used this way, uncontrolled is a common word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.
“The greatest uncontrolled health problem is AIDS.”
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Not strongly marked
- How common
- Common
- Connotation
- No strong connotation
- Usage feel
- Neutral and straightforward
Nearby words
- ungoverned , rarer, so it draws attention
- masterless , rarer, so it draws attention
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use uncontrolled
- “The greatest uncontrolled health problem is AIDS.”adjective
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Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
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Similar Words, What’s the Difference?
Close in meaning, but not always interchangeable.
Marked by extreme lack of restraint or control.
Not under control.
Lacking moderation, temper or control.
Lacking in self-control.
Having escaped from the control of the rider or driver.
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.