inelegant

adjective

(ˌ)i-ˈne-li-gənt How to pronounce inelegant (audio)
Definition of inelegantnext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 inelegant This strikes me as an inelegant way to write Tommy off the show, if that’s indeed what’s happening. — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 27 Apr. 2026 Hockey was a bruising, inelegant sport played in the frozen tundra of Canada and the upper Midwest when Vachon was traded from the Montreal Canadiens to the Kings in the winter of 1971. — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2026 But its blunt, inelegant dialogue is peppered with characters (metaphorically) vomiting up their darkest secrets. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 10 Apr. 2026 The traffic, bachelorette party buses and more inelegant tourists are far out of sight and view from up here. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for inelegant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inelegant
  1. uncomfortable
  2. inappropriate
  3. clumsy
  4. incorrect
  5. awkward
  6. unsuitable
  7. uneasy
  8. unfashionable
Adjective
  • It’s also designed to sit right at your natural waist, so no uncomfortable fidgeting here.
    — Julia Morlino, Travel + Leisure, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Cody pointed out the woman who had taken up an uncomfortable perch on a barstool.
    — Emma Cline, New Yorker, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of uncomfortable
Adjective
  • The home, along Norris Avenue in the northern Arden-Arcade area, has sparked opposition from neighbors and local officials who say its location near multiple schools and in the middle of a residential neighborhood is inappropriate.
    — Carmela Karcher, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Hochman said Flores simply could have taken notes on the inappropriate comments and turned them in to superiors or the independent inspector general, which strikes me as either sweetly naive or disingenuous.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of inappropriate
Adjective
  • The mistake leaders make is concluding that the person who looks uncertain or clumsy must have been the wrong choice.
    — Monica Cutia, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026
  • The second trickier and clumsier aside happens when Banderas’ chef tells Tony the tragedy of 17th century French cook François Vatel, who literally fell on his sword before serving a banquet to Louis XIV.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of clumsy
Adjective
  • The fact that the scoreboard was incorrect, Guccione told a pool reporter after the game, does not play a part in the ruling.
    — Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2026
  • The counterweight to that allure is emotional intelligence, the instinct to notice when the numbers are accurate, but the feeling is incorrect.
    — Olatunde Badmus, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of incorrect
Adjective
  • The vibes are awkward all around, and things only get weirder when Emira pulls Georgia aside to chat.
    — Tom Smyth, Vulture, 6 Aug. 2026
  • And like any awkward teenager, his style was portrayed as a bit chaotic and confusing throughout the film—as per Karmin’s plan.
    — Dylan Muñoz, Vogue, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of awkward
Adjective
  • When channels are created with unsuitable blades, angles, or placement, transplanted hair may grow in an unnatural direction or produce an overly uniform appearance.
    — Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Websites often attract unsuitable clients due to ineffective copy, hindering business growth.
    — Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of unsuitable
Adjective
  • Meanwhile, China is tightening approvals for exports of rare earth products — a key bargaining chip at the last summit in Beijing, which sealed an uneasy trade truce.
    — Andy Browne, semafor.com, 4 Aug. 2026
  • As the novel coronavirus overtook daily life, in the spring of 2020, our celebrities occupied uneasy terrain.
    — Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of uneasy
Adjective
  • The very characteristics that made blue-collar businesses unfashionable, their physicality and labor intensity, are now their defensive moat.
    — Gustaf Lundberg Toresson, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026
  • As one Ithacan subject fondly recalls, Odysseus always had an unfashionable belief in playing fair.
    — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 17 July 2026
Definition of unfashionable

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Cite this Entry

“Inelegant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inelegant. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of inelegant for Spanish Speakers

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