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 One city making things inconvenient for SUV owners isn’t likely to have a bit impact on the category. Chris Morris, Fortune, 11 Mar. 2024 Bitcoin’s recent surge, however, won’t have changed an inconvenient truth for investors: the asset is risky, prone to wild swings in value and is still very much under regulators’ microscope. Anna Cooban, CNN, 20 Feb. 2024 But Orange Group met on an inconvenient day of the week. Anne Kniggendorf, Kansas City Star, 31 Jan. 2024 But no matter how inconvenient, cooking at home has often been deemed the healthier choice. Sarah Garone, Health, 18 Jan. 2024 That said, email responses sometimes take up to 48 hours, which can be inconvenient. Sponsored Content, The Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2024 The problem, partly, is that the history is inconvenient: The last Lehman to head up the firm died in 1969. Sophia Nguyen, Washington Post, 29 Feb. 2024 But Alex and Dietz expect life to be inconvenient, and their misfortune did not dissuade them. Elizabeth Barber, Harper's Magazine, 2 Feb. 2024 The two characters are thrown together by some inconvenient practical circumstance that forces them to deal with one another. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 21 Jan. 2024

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

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 28 Mar. 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

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