1
as in uncomfortable
lacking social grace and assurance
inelegant teens still learning how to act at formal events
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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
But the controversy over Newsom’s inelegant statement goes to the heart of the Democratic divide right now.
—Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, 21 Apr. 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
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
But the controversy over Newsom’s inelegant statement goes to the heart of the Democratic divide right now.
—Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, 21 Apr. 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
-
Candidate quality is an uncomfortable topic for political parties.—
Kimberly Ross,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
-
These gems combine the functionality of a bra with the comfort of a cozy piece of clothing, complete with bra shelves or cups to help support the girls without the need for an extra (and sometimes uncomfortable) wires and layers.—
Alanna Martine Kilkeary,
Glamour,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Some of my friends were pressured to send inappropriate pictures, contacted by strangers, and exposed to content way beyond our age.—
Annabelle Canela,
Parents,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Businesses/nominees cannot obtain votes by any fraudulent or inappropriate means.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The rubber sole is also important for clumsy gals like myself.—
Alyssa Grabinski,
PEOPLE,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Camels seem slow, hippos clumsy, phoenixes unstable, lions lazy.—
Francois Botha,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
This approach is unreliable because the proxy materials, like volcanic rock, might have been changed by geological processes or created long after the eggs were laid, resulting in incorrect age estimates.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Sep. 2025
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Poor labor management can also result in longer wait times, incorrect orders and ultimately negative reviews, directly impacting revenue.—
Jeff Kiesel,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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While there is little doubt about the outcome of the Fed meeting, there are still questions over who exactly will be voting—setting up some very awkward dynamics.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
14 Sep. 2025
-
This leaves the broader discourse around Kirk’s assassination in an awkward position, deprived of the certainty that so many crave.—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The concern expressed is that people are turning to AI for mental health advice and do not realize that (presumably) AI is unsuitable for that purpose.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
-
The drastic drop in performance from the 2022 season points to the idea that the current generation of cars is unsuitable for the Briton.—
Saajan Jogia,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Handing spending power to a piece of software makes people uneasy.—
Ron Schmelzer,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
-
An uneasy calm, after two nights of chaos that saw tens of thousands of people pour out into the streets to vent their fury, setting fire to parliament and the Supreme Court – key symbols of state – and clashing with the government forces sent to keep them under control.—
Lex Harvey,
CNN Money,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
While some of France’s important estates have sold out, diversified internationally, or even pursued potentially short-sighted revenue streams, Guigal has continued along its own path, quietly expanding their reach through a series of deliberate but seemingly unfashionable local acquisitions.—
Paul Caputo,
Forbes.com,
22 Aug. 2025
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Superman wraps these deeply unfashionable themes and aspirations in the pomp, spectacle, and humor that are Gunn’s superhero trademark (see: the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, easily among the best of Marvel Comics’ cinematic offerings).—
Derek Robertson,
The Washington Examiner,
8 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Inelegant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inelegant. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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