ungovernable

Everyday

1. Ungovernable means impossible to control or rule, like an ungovernable country, crowd or class. tree →
2. Ungovernable feelings, like anger, are too strong to control. tree →

In the lessons

In history and news: a country or region becomes ungovernable after war or chaos, when the government cannot keep order. In stories: an ungovernable temper, ungovernable horses. It tells the reader things have gone beyond control.

Examples

• After the war, the region became ungovernable. tree →
• The wild horse was ungovernable. tree →
• The class was ungovernable on the last day of term. tree →
• He had an ungovernable temper as a child. tree →
• Rebels made the province ungovernable. tree →
• The crowd grew ungovernable when the gates opened. tree →

Note

From «govern» + «-able» with «un-». Formal. Close to «uncontrollable» and «unruly».