1
as in inappropriate
not appropriate for a particular occasion or situation
an inapt but well-meaning attempt to inject some humor into the proceedings
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in unfit
lacking qualities (as knowledge, skill, or ability) required to do a job
a recruit who was utterly inapt for most soldierly duties, so he spent most of his time playing in the army band
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of inapt
The precedent is inapt, not least because the media landscape then was different with far fewer news sources.
—
The Wall Street Journal, Twin Cities, 25 July 2025
Beyond the application of arguably inapt legal and regulatory standards, technical and operational challenges may likewise hinder deAI adoption.
—Charlyn Ho, Forbes, 15 Mar. 2025
The result invites obvious yet not inapt comparisons to the work of Terrence Malick, but Bentley’s film—for all its crystalline imagery, its vision of Grainier’s home as a fallen Eden, and its air of metaphysical wonderment—unfolds in a more dramatically direct, compacted register.
—Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2025
The visual flair peaks in the first episode, along with the series’ shallow, if not necessarily inapt, insight into life in this particular time and place.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Jan. 2025
The Wall Street Journal, Twin Cities, 25 July 2025
Beyond the application of arguably inapt legal and regulatory standards, technical and operational challenges may likewise hinder deAI adoption.
—Charlyn Ho, Forbes, 15 Mar. 2025
The result invites obvious yet not inapt comparisons to the work of Terrence Malick, but Bentley’s film—for all its crystalline imagery, its vision of Grainier’s home as a fallen Eden, and its air of metaphysical wonderment—unfolds in a more dramatically direct, compacted register.
—Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2025
The visual flair peaks in the first episode, along with the series’ shallow, if not necessarily inapt, insight into life in this particular time and place.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Jan. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inapt
Adjective
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The choice to portray her as irritating, self-absorbed, whiny and inappropriate was no accident.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
12 Mar. 2026
-
At first, the teen denied having an inappropriate relationship with Rivera.—
Meredith Colias-Pete,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The National Construction Authority found that 58% of the buildings in Nairobi were unfit for habitation.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Mar. 2026
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If venue personnel deem any person to be a threat, or otherwise unfit, in their sole discretion, he or she will not be permitted access and shall forfeit the prize.—
AJC.com,
AJC.com,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The disease causes bitter, misshapen fruit unsuitable for sale or eating; infected trees eventually die, according to the CDFA.—
Regina Elling,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Mar. 2026
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So many clubs have fallen victim to unsuitable ownership and abject mismanagement, dragged down far beyond their natural level.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
8 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
While Parker was scheduled to face trial for the alleged murder of Thomas, court records show he had previously been found incompetent to stand trial in an earlier case.—
Jeff McDonald,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Mar. 2026
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In May 2025, Fraraccio was deemed incompetent to stand trial.—
Matthew Adams,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The application for the $100,000 life insurance policy included errors, including an incorrect Social Security number for Eric Richins, an insurance agent testified.—
Nicki Brown,
CNN Money,
17 Mar. 2026
-
An earlier version of the story provided the incorrect month.—
Chaewon Chung,
Sacbee.com,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Mix Materials The beauty in the unfitted kitchen aesthetic is found in its collected look.—
Patricia Shannon,
Better Homes & Gardens,
6 May 2025
-
The venerable American clan at the center of the narrator’s reminiscences are wholly unfitted to the modern world and no longer endowed with the fortune that one of them brought home long ago on clipper ships.—
Daniel Akst,
WSJ,
2 Sep. 2022
Adjective
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And a new policy was rolled out requiring cops to report improper use of the internal email system.—
Aaron Leibowitz,
Miami Herald,
14 Mar. 2026
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Grout's biggest challenge is cracking from improper installation or too much moisture.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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This definition also includes instance in which the victim is incapable of giving consent because of temporary or permanent mental or physical incapacity (include due to the influence of drugs or alcohol) or because of age.—
Baltimore Sun staff,
Baltimore Sun,
13 Mar. 2026
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One involves continuing to attack Iran’s weapons stockpiles and production facilities to render the Islamic Republic incapable of threatening its neighbors for a long time to come.—
Dennis Ross,
The Atlantic,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Inapt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inapt. Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.
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