Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Not willing to help or be accommodating: Describes a person who is not helpful, cooperative, or willing to do favors for others. It implies a lack of willingness to adjust one's behavior or actions to assist someone else's needs or requests.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • The unobliging clerk refused to process the refund without the original receipt, even though I explained it was lost.
  • We asked our neighbor for a small favor, but he was rather unobliging and shut the door.
  • Her unobliging attitude made it very difficult to get the necessary permissions for the project.

Advanced Usage

• In formal or descriptive contexts: The term is often used in more formal writing or detailed descriptions to characterize uncooperative behavior.
  • The committee found the witness's testimony to be deliberately evasive and unobliging.

Variants and Related Words

• Obliging (adj): Willing to help; accommodating. This is the direct antonym.
  • The obliging waiter brought us extra napkins without being asked.
• Unaccommodating (adj): Not accommodating; similar in meaning to "unobliging."
• Uncooperative (adj): Not cooperative; a more common synonym.

Synonyms

• Unhelpful: Not providing help or assistance.
• Uncooperative: Not willing to work with others.
• Inconsiderate: Thoughtlessly causing inconvenience to others.
• Unaccommodating: Not willing to adapt to or help with someone's needs.

Antonyms

• Obliging: Willing to do favors; helpful.
• Helpful: Giving or ready to give help.
• Accommodating: Fitting in with someone's wishes or demands.
• Cooperative: Involving mutual assistance in working toward a common goal.

Adjective

1. not accommodating
   • the unaccommodating bus driver pulled out while she was banging on the door