inconvenient

adjective

in·​con·​ve·​nient ˌin-kən-ˈvē-nyənt How to pronounce inconvenient (audio)
: not convenient especially in giving trouble or annoyance : inopportune
an inconvenient time
inconveniently adverb

Examples of inconvenient in a Sentence

The restaurant is in an inconvenient location. the unexpected visitors showed up at an inconvenient time
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
That was the year that my uncle, catering director at Chicago’s Ritz-Carlton, took charge of the holiday festivities for a decades-long streak interrupted only by his brief (and somewhat inconvenient for the rest of the family) move to California. Editors Of Bon Appétit, Bon Appétit, 1 Nov. 2024 The rally is most inconvenient for foreign investors and strategists who remain on the sidelines/underweight China due to the US election. Brendan Ahern, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024 The comment seemed to subtly acknowledge an inconvenient truth: That everyone, everywhere had already seen the watch, when images of the Cubitus ad campaign in Fortune magazine leaked the weekend before the launch, drawing torrents of online criticism. Victoria Gomelsky, Robb Report, 4 Nov. 2024 The inconvenient reality, however, is that the U.S. Senate is often where these policies go to die. Jessica Winter, The New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for inconvenient 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, incongruous, harmful, from Anglo-French, from Latin inconvenient-, inconveniens, from in- + convenient-, conveniens convenient

First Known Use

1616, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of inconvenient was in 1616

Dictionary Entries Near inconvenient

Cite this Entry

“Inconvenient.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inconvenient. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

inconvenient

adjective
in·​con·​ve·​nient ˌin-kən-ˈvē-nyənt How to pronounce inconvenient (audio)
: not convenient : causing difficulty, discomfort, or annoyance
an inconvenient delay
inconveniently adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on inconvenient

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!