What does uncomfortable mean?
Word: Uncomfortable
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Uncomfortable means not relaxed or at ease, in your body or your mind, or making you feel that way.
How do you spell uncomfortable?
Syllables: un - com - fort - a - ble
Tricky part: People often swallow the middle of the word and say comf-ta-ble, so they write uncomftable. Keep the or of fort.
Watch out for: uncomftable, unconfortable
Memory tip: There is a fort hiding in the middle of uncomfortable; say it clearly so its o and r do not go missing.
Uncomfortable in a sentence
Example 1: The seats on the old bus were so uncomfortable that Zara stood for most of the trip.
Example 2: It can feel uncomfortable to speak in front of the whole school for the first time.
Example 3: Sleeping in a tent on stony ground is uncomfortable, so bring a thick mat.
Fun Fact
The fort in the middle comes from the Latin fortis, meaning strong, which also gave English the word fortress.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Connection
Choose the antonym of the word:
uncomfortable
a) painful
b) awkward
c) cosy
d) uneasy
Show answer
c) cosy. A cosy chair feels warm and snug, the opposite of an uncomfortable one.
Word Cookie
Insert the correct pair of letters to form a word:
unc_mfort_ble
a) u, a
b) o, i
c) o, a
d) u, i
Show answer
c) o, a. The first gap is the o of come, and the ending is able, as in table.
Word Cookie
Find the misspelt word in the sentence:
Zara found the stiff collar on her new school shirt unncomfortable all morning.
a) collar
b) unncomfortable
c) morning
d) stiff
Show answer
b) unncomfortable. Only one n follows the u, because the word after the prefix does not begin with an n.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which of these would most likely make someone feel uncomfortable?
a) a glass of cool water after a run
b) a soft cushion on a wooden bench
c) shoes that are a size too small
d) a warm blanket on a chilly night
Show answer
c) shoes that are a size too small
2. Zara felt uncomfortable when everyone stared at her new haircut. This means she felt ___.
a) hungry and keen for lunch
b) proud and very pleased
c) sleepy and ready for bed
d) shy and a little embarrassed
Show answer
d) shy and a little embarrassed
