If you describe a feeling or physical action as uncontrollable, you mean that you cannot control it or prevent yourself from feeling or doing it.
It had been a time of almost uncontrollable excitement.
William was seized with uncontrollable rage.
He burst into uncontrollable laughter at something I'd said.
uncontrollably (ʌnkəntroʊləbli)adverb [usually ADVERB after verb]
I started shaking uncontrollably and began to cry.
2. adjective
If you describe a person as uncontrollable, you mean that their behaviour is bad and that nobody can make them behave more sensibly.
Mark was withdrawn and uncontrollable.
Uncontrollable children grow into young criminals.
3. adjective
If you describe a situation or series of events as uncontrollable, you believe that nothing can be done to control them or to prevent things from getting worse.
If political and ethnic problems are not resolved, the situation could become uncontrollable.
More Synonyms of uncontrollable
uncontrollable in British English
(ˌʌnkənˈtrəʊləbəl)
adjective
incapable of being controlled or managed
Derived forms
uncontrollability (ˌunconˌtrollaˈbility) or uncontrollableness (ˌunconˈtrollableness)
noun
uncontrollably (ˌunconˈtrollably)
adverb
Examples of 'uncontrollable' in a sentence
uncontrollable
Simply imagine that your body is experiencing uncontrollable laughter and then see how you feel.
Claudia Hammond EMOTIONAL ROLLERCOASTER: A Journey Through the Science of Feelings (2005)
And then they are gripped by uncontrollable laughter.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
The ruse worked despite his almost uncontrollable trembling.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Research suggests that for men savoury foods are more likely to trigger an almost uncontrollable urge to indulge.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
This appearance of irrational and uncontrollable behaviour would so scare the other driver that he would be the first to pull away.
Mcinnes, Colin & Sheffield G.D (eds.) Warfare in the Twentieth Century (1988)
Actually, her coldness concealed a totally unexpected and almost uncontrollable emotional reaction.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
It was almost uncontrollable grief.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
We seem to have a desire to make sense of our emotions, particularly when they are as intense as uncontrollable laughter.
Claudia Hammond EMOTIONAL ROLLERCOASTER: A Journey Through the Science of Feelings (2005)
An incident had caused almost uncontrollable anger and I needed to discover the source.
Christianity Today (2000)
In other languages
uncontrollable
British English: uncontrollable /ˌʌnkənˈtrəʊləbl/ ADJECTIVE
If something such as an emotion is uncontrollable, you can do nothing to prevent it or control it.
He burst into uncontrollable laughter.
American English: uncontrollable
Arabic: لا يـُمْكِنُ التَّحَكُّمُ فيه
Brazilian Portuguese: incontrolável
Chinese: 无法控制的
Croatian: neobuzdan
Czech: nezadržitelný smích, pláč
Danish: ukontrollabel
Dutch: onbeheerst
European Spanish: incontrolable
Finnish: hallitsematon
French: incontrôlable
German: unkontrollierbar
Greek: ανεξέλεγκτος
Italian: incontrollabile
Japanese: 制御できない
Korean: 통제할 수 없는
Norwegian: ukontrollerbar
Polish: nieposkromiony
European Portuguese: incontrolável
Romanian: incontrolabil
Russian: неуправляемый
Latin American Spanish: incontrolable
Swedish: okontrollerad
Thai: ที่ควบคุมไม่ได้
Turkish: kontrol edilemez
Ukrainian: нестримний
Vietnamese: không thể kiềm chế
Chinese translation of 'uncontrollable'
uncontrollable
(ʌnkənˈtrəuləbl)
adj
[person]不受管束的 (bù shòu guǎnshù de)
[temper, laughter]控制不住的 (kòngzhì bù zhù de)
1 (adjective)
Definition
(of a person) wild and unmanageable in behaviour
When he lost his temper, he was uncontrollable.
Synonyms
unmanageable
violent
strong
wild
When I told him what I had done, he was wild.
mad
furious
A furious gunbattle ensued.
frantic
A bird had been locked in and was now quite frantic.
irresistible
It proved an irresistible temptation to go back.
carried away
unruly
irrepressible
Her exuberance was irrepressible.
ungovernable
beside yourself
He was beside himself with anxiety.
like one possessed
2 (adjective)
Definition
unable to be restrained or prevented
The situation could become uncontrollable.
Synonyms
violent
his violent, almost pathological jealousy
wild
The angry crowd became quite wild and agitated.
unruly
It's not good enough just to blame the unruly children.
unmanageable
The signs are that indulged children tend to become unmanageable.
ungovernable
He was filled with an ungovernable rage.
Additional synonyms
in the sense of beside yourself
Definition
overwhelmed
He was beside himself with anxiety.
Synonyms
distraught,
desperate,
mad,
distressed,
frantic,
frenzied,
hysterical,
unbalanced,
uncontrolled,
deranged,
berserk,
delirious,
unhinged,
very anxious,
overwrought,
apoplectic,
at the end of your tether
in the sense of frantic
Definition
distracted with fear, pain, joy, etc.
A bird had been locked in and was now quite frantic.
Synonyms
frenzied,
wild,
mad (informal),
raging,
furious,
raving,
distracted,
distraught,
berserk,
uptight (informal),
overwrought,
at the end of your tether,
beside yourself,
at your wits' end,
berko (Australian, slang)
in the sense of furious
Definition
violent or unrestrained, such as in speed or energy
A furious gunbattle ensued.
Synonyms
violent,
wild,
intense,
fierce,
savage,
turbulent,
stormy,
agitated,
boisterous,
tumultuous,
vehement,
unrestrained,
tempestuous,
impetuous,
ungovernable
Synonyms of 'uncontrollable'
uncontrollable
Explore 'uncontrollable' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of irrepressible
Definition
not capable of being repressed, controlled, or restrained
Her exuberance was irrepressible.
Synonyms
unstoppable,
buoyant,
uncontrollable,
boisterous,
ebullient,
effervescent,
unmanageable,
unquenchable,
bubbling over,
uncontainable,
unrestrainable,
insuppressible
in the sense of irresistible
Definition
not able to be resisted or refused
It proved an irresistible temptation to go back.
Synonyms
overwhelming,
compelling,
overpowering,
urgent,
potent,
imperative,
compulsive,
uncontrollable,
overmastering
in the sense of ungovernable
Definition
(of an emotion) not able to be controlled or restrained
He was filled with an ungovernable rage.
Synonyms
uncontrollable,
wild,
unrestrainable
in the sense of unruly
Definition
difficult to control or organize
It's not good enough just to blame the unruly children.