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
Listen to the tone of each, and for any buzz or hum or anything else infelicitous.
—
Peter Wayne Moe, Longreads, 26 Mar. 2026
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
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
Peter Wayne Moe, Longreads, 26 Mar. 2026
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for infelicitous
Adjective
-
Some neighbors greeted news of the project’s demise with relief, saying the location — a residential area with large swaths of undeveloped land — was inappropriate for a commercial venture.—
Alex Wigglesworth,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
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The bid documents show the company has settled at least 56 suits that alleged medical negligence or inappropriate medical care.—
Nichole Manna,
ProPublica,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The team found that several 2D materials praised for their electronic properties may become unsuitable once they are built into real devices.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Lara’s pre-operative test results were abnormal, and revealed clear signs of keratoconus, making LASIK unsuitable.—
Jessica Alvarado Gamez,
Denver Post,
17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Maduko’s resignation comes after former chancellor Terrence Cheng was removed from his position and transferred into a new role, following a 2024 audit that showed improper spending on meals, alcohol and chauffeur services.—
Stephen Underwood,
Hartford Courant,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Earlier this month, Democratic Minnesota Congresswoman Angie Craig said her team is tracking 20 medical cases with improper care within ICE detention.—
Beret Leone,
CBS News,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Moreover, most of the assertions made by those seeking to undermine the dark matter hypothesis are now demonstrably incorrect, ruled out by the existing data.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
29 Apr. 2026
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Administrative errors or outdated income information can also lead to incorrect withholding amounts, which may temporarily increase what's taken until corrected.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Perhaps the owner’s unexpected absence was an indication that the rumors about my imminent demise were wrong and that things were not so certain.—
Saïd Sayrafiezadeh,
New Yorker,
26 Apr. 2026
-
After a week where everything that could have gone wrong did and the noise surrounding the club threatened to swallow the team whole, the Red Sox finally broke their four-game slide in grand fashion and got to enjoy a nice, drama-free win.—
Mac Cerullo,
Hartford Courant,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Alex Cora was clearly unhappy towards the end.—
Zach Dean OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
27 Apr. 2026
-
There were thousands of unhappy Stagecoach festivalgoers on Saturday night, as the approximately 75,000-80,000 guests were forced to evacuate due to high winds.—
Emily Longeretta,
Variety,
26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Trump—fixated on securing his legacy with a ballroom and a triumphal arch—appears increasingly erratic, unfocused, and unfit for the job assigned to him.—
John Whitehead,
Oc Register,
23 Apr. 2026
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If venue personnel deem any person to be a threat, or otherwise unfit, in their sole discretion, he or she will not be permitted access and shall forfeit the prize.—
AJC.com,
AJC.com,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Infelicitous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/infelicitous. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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