indelicacy

noun

in·​del·​i·​ca·​cy (ˌ)in-ˈde-li-kə-sē How to pronounce indelicacy (audio)
1
: the quality or state of being indelicate
2
: something that is indelicate

Examples of indelicacy in a Sentence

the indelicacy of their dinner conversation made the other guests wince in embarrassment
Recent Examples on the Web The Trump era is one of indelicacy, profanity, and real—not imagined—misogyny, and its flacks deserve a language that matches up. Josephine Livingstone, The New Republic, 5 June 2018 Trump added, seemingly referring to the indelicacy of directly attacking a war hero who is fighting brain cancer. Callum Borchers, Washington Post, 28 Feb. 2018 These are only some of the indelicacies that have issued forth from Trump’s mouth: But the current era of political obscenity also must be put in historical context. Jeet Heer, New Republic, 8 June 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'indelicacy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1712, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of indelicacy was in 1712

Dictionary Entries Near indelicacy

Cite this Entry

“Indelicacy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/indelicacy. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

indelicacy

noun
in·​del·​i·​ca·​cy (ˈ)in-ˈdel-i-kə-sē How to pronounce indelicacy (audio)
plural indelicacies
1
: the quality or state of being indelicate : coarseness
2
: something (as an act or word) that is indelicate

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