inelegant

adjective

in·​el·​e·​gant (ˌ)i-ˈne-li-gənt 

: lacking in refinement, grace, or good taste

inelegantly adverb

Synonyms

• uncomfortable
• clumsy
• awkward
• uneasy
• ungraceful

Examples of inelegant in a Sentence

inelegant teens still learning how to act at formal events

inelegant furniture that looked like it belonged in a budget motel

Recent Examples on the Web

Both zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, the most common mineral filters, are notoriously finicky ingredients—the thick white powders are cosmetically inelegant and prone to leaving white casts, particularly on deeper skin tones. —Dani Hardman, Allure, 15 Sep. 2025

To some, camels are slow, even inelegant. —Francois Botha, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025

They are dumped via place card under a domed dinner-plate cover, which is an inelegant way to go even for Love Island USA. —Kathleen Walsh, Vulture, 14 July 2025

Their ingenious creation — an unlikely combination of spacesuit parts, duct tape, and the suddenly obsolete mission plan — encapsulates the film in an inelegant nutshell. —Richard Edwards, Space.com, 30 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle French, from Latin inelegant-, inelegans, from in- + elegant-, elegans elegant

First Known Use

circa 1570, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for inelegant

• elegant

Kids Definition

inelegant

adjective

in·​el·​e·​gant (ˈ)in-ˈel-i-gənt 

: lacking in grace or good taste

inelegantly adverb