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.
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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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Although the meeting went smoothly and led to concrete commitments, the bonhomie was strained by uncomfortable questions at a news conference about the issue hanging over the day’s diplomacy.—
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Rather than telegraphing trouble in paradise, the move could simply be a styling choice—or a response to high temperatures, which cause one’s hands to swell and can make wearing a ring uncomfortable.—
Adjective
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What readers are saying The comments largely focus on the need for the boyfriend to set boundaries with his sister, who exhibits possessive and inappropriate behavior.—
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The judge seemed to express skepticism toward the defense's argument that officers recovering Mangione's backpack and taking it to the station for examination was inappropriate.—
Adjective
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But in that moment, my 40 years of skiing experience evaporated, and the bulletproof snow and thick crowds transformed me into an anxious and clumsy mess.—
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Following the adventures of the titular sheep, the franchise’s latest takes place at Mossy Bottom Farm on Halloween Eve, watching as excitement turns to dismay when the clumsy Farmer ruins the pumpkin patch.—
Adjective
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Everything was really incorrect for the period—shiny, sparkly, overdone—but the actual shapes and silhouettes of his clothes are quite accurate.—
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Avoid harsh or incorrect cleaners and follow manufacturer guidance to protect coatings, airflow, and internal components.—
Adjective
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The rise of digital payment systems has made tipping both easier and more awkward, especially when prompts appear at counters, kiosks and drive-thru windows.—
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Use this a couple of times a week for smoother, brighter skin (without getting sunburnt and sand in awkward places).—
Adjective
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Soils that are high in peat moss are unsuitable for citrus trees.—
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These tests, though frequently used in Denmark as part of child protection investigations, were criticized as inappropriate and unsuitable for the people of Greenland and other minorities.—
Adjective
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Neighbors fear rising violence Residents said the shooting has left them uneasy.—
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But by evening, an uneasy calm had settled across the city.—
Adjective
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After Frost’s retirement in 2001, with conglomerates having become deeply unfashionable, other parts of the company were sold and Hays became a focused staffing and recruitment business.—
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Whatever Gentiles might have thought in private, the Nazis had made overt antisemitism unfashionable, even odious.—
Cite this Entry
“Inelegant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inelegant. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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