as in rudeness
the quality or state of lacking refinement or good taste
the indelicacy of their dinner conversation made the other guests wince in embarrassment
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of indelicacy
The Trump era is one of indelicacy, profanity, and real—not imagined—misogyny, and its flacks deserve a language that matches up.
—
Josephine Livingstone, The New Republic, 5 June 2018
Trump added, seemingly referring to the indelicacy of directly attacking a war hero who is fighting brain cancer.
—Callum Borchers, Washington Post, 28 Feb. 2018
These are only some of the indelicacies that have issued forth from Trump’s mouth:
But the current era of political obscenity also must be put in historical context.
—Jeet Heer, New Republic, 8 June 2017
Josephine Livingstone, The New Republic, 5 June 2018
Trump added, seemingly referring to the indelicacy of directly attacking a war hero who is fighting brain cancer.
—Callum Borchers, Washington Post, 28 Feb. 2018
These are only some of the indelicacies that have issued forth from Trump’s mouth:
But the current era of political obscenity also must be put in historical context.
—Jeet Heer, New Republic, 8 June 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for indelicacy
Noun
-
Their silence comes off as rudeness, for which Betty rebukes them after dinner.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
17 May 2025
-
While civility is sorely lacking in politics, two other areas are known for rudeness as well — the workplace and the schools, at all levels.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
25 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The juxtaposition of popular art’s messy vulgarity with the pristine aspirations of high art is surprisingly uninvolving.—
Christopher Knight,
Los Angeles Times,
16 June 2025
-
Higher courts often interpret whether cases fall under the protections of the First Amendment. Freedom of speech, including vulgarity, is common in such cases.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
16 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Indelicacy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/indelicacy. Accessed 28 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share