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inappropriate

American  
[in-uh-proh-pree-it] / ˌɪn əˈproʊ pri ɪt /

adjective

  1. not appropriate; not proper or suitable.

    an inappropriate dress for the occasion.
    Synonyms:
    unfitting, inapt, unsuitable, improper
inappropriate British  
/ ˌɪnəˈprəʊprɪɪt /

adjective

  1. not fitting or appropriate; unsuitable or untimely

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • inappropriately adverb
  • inappropriateness noun

Etymology

Origin of inappropriate

First recorded in 1795–1805; in- 3 + appropriate

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

For that reason, it might be worth documenting with them that certain inappropriate comments are being made.

From MarketWatch

Duterte's defence lawyer Nicholas Kaufman, summing up his case, said that if his client could be faulted for anything, it was his "inappropriate choice of language".

From Barron's

Long then apologized to senators during his confirmation hearing, saying the comment was “totally inappropriate.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Barrett has said in legal filings he did “nothing inappropriate involving Mr. Epstein or his accounts” and he wasn’t aware of any illicit activity.

From The Wall Street Journal

"It would be inappropriate to comment further while police investigate," a Prison Service spokesperson added.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.