adjective

untoward

uhn-tuu-WAWD

adjective

Unfavourable or improper; not what is expected or acceptable.

"Nothing untoward happened during the flight."

"The manager noticed something untoward about the invoice."

Difficult to control or manage.

"The untoward child refused to sit still for the photo."

How to Use Untoward

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishSomething out of place, improper, or unlucky — often used in the negative, as in "nothing untoward."

Common mistake

Almost always paired with "nothing" or "anything" in modern usage; rarely used to praise something.

Common pairings

nothing untoward an untoward incident untoward behaviour

more untoward comparative, most untoward superlative

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Can you complete this real example?

Nothing _____ happened during the flight.

From un- (\"not\") plus toward, originally meaning heading in the wrong direction.

coward toward