indelicateness

noun

1
as in rudeness
the quality or state of lacking refinement or good taste the well-known indelicateness of the comedian's humor made him a poor choice for master of ceremonies

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in unfitness
the quality or state of not being socially proper the indelicateness of the topic makes it a poor choice for dinner conversation

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for indelicateness
  1. rudeness
  2. unfitness
  3. lowness
  4. inappropriateness
  5. roughness
  6. disrespect
  7. grossness
  8. coarseness
Noun
  • But the opposition is steeped in that same monotone rudeness.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026
  • The once-vaunted values of public life are now reduced to the lower standards of private life—venality, vulgarity, rudeness, incontinence, and ignorance.
    — Simon Sebag Montefiore, The Atlantic, 28 June 2026
Definition of rudeness
Noun
  • Not just shame but gross unfitness for serving in a role at a state university.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Musk attempted to color Altman as a uniquely unsuitable supervisor of this technology, but this invariably invited further scrutiny into his own abject unfitness for the role.
    — Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 20 May 2026
Definition of unfitness
Noun
  • That feeling stops, however, when pulling into gas stations or parking lots, where the length and lowness of the car require extreme care to keep the chin from scraping.
    — Byron Hurd, The Drive, 4 Feb. 2026
Definition of lowness
Noun
  • This is expressed just as her 14-year-old appears to see that her earlier prediction about Carmella’s likelihood of inappropriateness had come true.
    — Peter Larsen, Oc Register, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of inappropriateness
Noun
  • Finally, there was Gilman’s unnecessary roughness penalty on top of a 22-yard pass that reset the tone of the game and helped enable Denver to cut it to 24-21.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 3 Nov. 2026
  • The Bears were helped on the ensuing kickoff by Seahawks defensive lineman Mike Morris’ unnecessary roughness penalty, setting them up at their 44-yard line.
    — Phil Thompson, Chicago Tribune, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of roughness
Noun
  • The only thing that’s clear is their disrespect for Maryland voters and the democratic process.
    — Larry Hogan, Baltimore Sun, 29 Oct. 2026
  • These are not, and no disrespect, cartoon characters or comic books.
    — Zack Sharf, Variety, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of disrespect
Noun
  • But Paddy’s isn’t Sudz, and the Gang’s efforts to soft-pedal their antics to be more in line with those mainstream bars devolved into typical Sunny-style hostility and off-putting grossness.
    — Dennis Perkins, Entertainment Weekly, 28 July 2026
  • All your Dad has to do is fill it and drink—the microfilter membrane will do the rest by removing chlorine odors, dirt, bacteria, and any other grossness floating around in there.
    — Francesca Krempa, Travel + Leisure, 11 June 2026
Definition of grossness
Noun
  • For too long, the daily cruelty and the coarseness of political rhetoric have elicited only shrugs, or more often, laughter.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Most denim blends using hemp only include 20 or 30 percent of the fiber due to its coarseness.
    — Jennifer Bringle, Footwear News, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of coarseness
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.

Browse Nearby Words

indelicate
indelicateness
indemnification
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Cite this Entry

“Indelicateness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/indelicateness. Accessed 11 Nov. 2026.

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