inelegant

adjective

in·​el·​e·​gant (ˌ)i-ˈne-li-gənt 

: lacking in refinement, grace, or good taste

inelegantly adverb

Synonyms

• awkward
• clumsy
• gauche
• graceless
• rough-hewn
• rustic
• rustical
• stiff
• stilted
• uncomfortable
• uneasy
• ungraceful
• wooden

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

Emotions are too high to be anything but a little inelegant. —Leah Marilla Thomas, Vulture, 4 Mar. 2024

Trending on Billboard Some of those legacy AI utilities felt promising but imperfect, others inelegant to the point of unusability. —Michael Gallant, Billboard, 15 May 2024

As edited, these interruptions can be jarring and inelegant, but that seems true to the experience of trauma. —Peter Debruge, Variety, 14 Mar. 2024

And something about the disconnect between how far-reaching our thoughts and emotions and ideas can be within our heads, and yet we’re confined to these weird kind of fleshy things that go wrong and need maintaining in a messy and inelegant way. —Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

circa 1570, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

inelegant

adjective

in·​el·​e·​gant (ˈ)in-ˈel-i-gənt 

: lacking in grace or good taste

inelegantly adverb