1
as in uncomfortable
lacking social grace and assurance
inelegant teens still learning how to act at formal events
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in inappropriate
marked by an obvious lack of style or good taste
inelegant furniture that looked like it belonged in a budget motel
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of inelegant
Thompson’s American accent is something to behold: flat, inelegant, and charmless, which is to say, the opposite of how Thompson usually sounds, and for playing the gay American version of herself, Thompson won the Emmy for Guest Star in a Comedy.
—
Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 5 Sep. 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
And, here’s the kicker, and the most annoying part: They are served in cardboard boxes, which makes eating them at a table inelegant at best.
—Jess Fleming, Twin Cities, 9 May 2025
The obvious fix is a little bit of duct tape, an inelegant but quick repair with a resource that most households already have on hand.
—PC Magazine, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inelegant
Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 5 Sep. 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
And, here’s the kicker, and the most annoying part: They are served in cardboard boxes, which makes eating them at a table inelegant at best.
—Jess Fleming, Twin Cities, 9 May 2025
The obvious fix is a little bit of duct tape, an inelegant but quick repair with a resource that most households already have on hand.
—PC Magazine, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inelegant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inelegant
Adjective
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This is an uncomfortable reality, butting up against every idea of American exceptionalism.—
Hugh Kellenberger,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
-
The woman described being shocked and feeling uncomfortable.—
Alex Brizee,
Idaho Statesman,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The girl also reported seeing inappropriate images on the screensaver of an iPad at Berrelez’s home.—
Shannon Tyler,
Idaho Statesman,
3 Oct. 2025
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Judge Arun Subramanian noted the tone of the defense's letter was inappropriate and should not be done again.—
Lauryn Overhultz , Tracy Wright , Maria Paronich , Kirill Clark,
FOXNews.com,
3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Maggie is a snoop—and a clumsy one.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
3 Oct. 2025
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But the character’s state of servitude is largely hidden in clumsy blocking.—
Frank Rizzo,
Variety,
29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
In April, the sheriff disclosed further issues, including incorrect citation numbers and amounts.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
3 Oct. 2025
-
Aerating in the incorrect season could have negative consequences for your lawn.—
Lauren David,
Southern Living,
3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
That’s six games without a goal now for their new striker, who still looks awkward in this side.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
6 Oct. 2025
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The onion on top is a little awkward to cut and to eat, so think of this as a knife-and-fork cornbread.—
Ann Taylor Pittman,
Southern Living,
5 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The environment, rich in chemicals and low in oxygen due to bacterial mats, was unsuitable for scavengers.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Sep. 2025
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Due to the approaching darkness and unsuitable weather conditions, rescuers could not be deployed that night out of concern for their safety.—
David Chiu,
PEOPLE,
29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Still, when her mom asks if Paul and his kids can come on the birthday trip, the woman feels uneasy.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
1 Oct. 2025
-
The loss of data arrived during an uneasy period for policymakers.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Whatever Gentiles might have thought in private, the Nazis had made overt antisemitism unfashionable, even odious.—
Ian Buruma,
New Yorker,
22 Sep. 2025
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Google was an early entrant in 2013 with Google Glass, although that device was unpopular with consumers because of its high price, unfashionable look, limited functionality and short battery life.—
Lisa Eadicicco,
CNN Money,
15 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Inelegant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inelegant. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
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