as in inappropriate
not appropriate for a particular occasion or situation
an infelicitous comment on the weight of the guest of honor at the banquet
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Recent Examples of infelicitous
Notwithstanding infelicitous boasting, Trump is a man of his word who will scrupulously honor his oath of office.
—
Armstrong Williams, Baltimore Sun, 10 Nov. 2024
Even so, the impulse to nationalize the problem will have its own, infelicitous effects.
—Daniel Engber, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2024
Film-school student Haynes always imitates better directors — Fassbinder’s social melodrama, Joseph Losey’s studies of decadence (pilfering the infelicitous piano score from Losey’s The Go-Between, from 1971).
—Armond White, National Review, 10 Jan. 2024
Dallas American politics lately feels like an endless game of—pardon the infelicitous word—delegitimation.
—Barton Swaim, wsj.com, 18 Apr. 2023
The New York bill would implement a concept called extended producer responsibility, an incredibly infelicitous recycling term.
—Michael Kimmelman, New York Times, 27 Jan. 2021
That grid revision unfortunately resulted in some infelicitous words being added to the puzzle.
—New York Times, 3 Feb. 2020
Despite the infelicitous coincidence of the election date with Easter — which would normally have been expected to depress turnout — turnout actually ticked slightly upward from recent contests, to 67 percent.
—Amy Erica Smith, Vox, 2 Apr. 2018
As in video games, the action is lurid, hyperkinetic, and gruesomely violent, with nods to Grand Theft Auto and a comparably infelicitous treatment of the few women characters who show up.
—Chicago Reader, 12 Oct. 2017
Armstrong Williams, Baltimore Sun, 10 Nov. 2024
Even so, the impulse to nationalize the problem will have its own, infelicitous effects.
—Daniel Engber, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2024
Film-school student Haynes always imitates better directors — Fassbinder’s social melodrama, Joseph Losey’s studies of decadence (pilfering the infelicitous piano score from Losey’s The Go-Between, from 1971).
—Armond White, National Review, 10 Jan. 2024
Dallas American politics lately feels like an endless game of—pardon the infelicitous word—delegitimation.
—Barton Swaim, wsj.com, 18 Apr. 2023
The New York bill would implement a concept called extended producer responsibility, an incredibly infelicitous recycling term.
—Michael Kimmelman, New York Times, 27 Jan. 2021
That grid revision unfortunately resulted in some infelicitous words being added to the puzzle.
—New York Times, 3 Feb. 2020
Despite the infelicitous coincidence of the election date with Easter — which would normally have been expected to depress turnout — turnout actually ticked slightly upward from recent contests, to 67 percent.
—Amy Erica Smith, Vox, 2 Apr. 2018
As in video games, the action is lurid, hyperkinetic, and gruesomely violent, with nods to Grand Theft Auto and a comparably infelicitous treatment of the few women characters who show up.
—Chicago Reader, 12 Oct. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for infelicitous
Adjective
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But lingering beneath the surface of his success, Favre had a pattern of inappropriate behavior off the field, including a high-profile tabloid scandal that erupted in 2010, and most recently, the largest case of public fraud in Mississippi’s history.—
Monica Mercuri,
Forbes.com,
21 May 2025
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As the rebel Jen (Michelle Williams) comes to town, and Pacey (Joshua Jackson) carries on an inappropriate relationship with his teacher, that turns out to be the case. 23.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
20 May 2025
Adjective
-
Any useless, toxic or otherwise unsuitable man can become a child’s legal father, without being subject to the thorough checks that these women must face.—
Catherine Bray,
Variety,
23 May 2025
-
Advertisement Advertisement Some insects are adapting to changing climates by moving to regions that might have previously been unsuitable.—
Simmone Shah,
Time,
20 May 2025
Adjective
-
An arrest does not constitute a finding of guilt: A 30-year-old woman from Naperville was arrested on two warrants and on charges of improper lane usage and criminal defacement of property at 2:27 a.m. May 25 in the 1500 block of Fairway Drive.—
Steve Metsch,
Chicago Tribune,
2 June 2025
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Zika is especially dangerous for pregnant women because it can be transmitted to the fetus, causing microcephaly (a smaller head), improper brain development, and cerebral palsy.—
Cara Lynn Shultz,
People.com,
30 May 2025
Adjective
-
The senators are incorrect three times, and surely more.—
John Tamny,
Forbes.com,
2 June 2025
-
But here’s the twist: both might technically be incorrect.—
Simon Perry,
People.com,
27 May 2025
Adjective
-
For affluent Latino parents Enrique and Ilana Gomez, this moment goes hilariously wrong from the start, when their daughter Yoli invites her Mexican-born intended Marcos over to the family’s Pasadena home for dinner.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 May 2025
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There’s a right way and a wrong way to do it Matt Sekerke is a managing director at SEDA Experts and senior macro advisor at Hiddenite Capital Partners.—
Matt Sekerke,
Fortune,
30 May 2025
Adjective
-
Reports suggested that Daltrey was unhappy with Starkey’s playing on the night, and a number of songs were cut short.—
Thomas Smith,
Billboard,
29 May 2025
-
Netflix In a recent interview with Harper's Bazaar, Ortega revealed that the massive success following 'Wednesday' actually left her unhappy.—
Jeremy Hanna,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 May 2025
Adjective
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The man, 41, was taken to the hospital once the flight landed, and he was later arrested on suspicion of being unfit for duty, per the statement.—
Toria Sheffield,
People.com,
1 June 2025
-
The trouble is, the president who insisted that Biden was unfit now encourages speculation about seeking a clearly unconstitutional third term.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
29 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Infelicitous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/infelicitous. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.
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