Inconvenient: meaning, definitions and examples

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inconvenient

 

[ ˌɪnkənˈviːniənt ]

Adjective
Context #1 | Adjective

in daily life

Causing trouble, difficulties, or discomfort; not convenient.

Synonyms

awkward, impractical, troublesome, unfavorable.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
inconvenient

Used to describe situations or actions that cause minor trouble or discomfort. Often related to time and place issues.

  • The meeting time is inconvenient for most of the team.
  • It's inconvenient to change buses twice to get there.
troublesome

Used for situations, things, or people that cause persistent problems or difficulties. Can imply ongoing effort or annoyance.

  • The troublesome noise from the construction site keeps us up at night.
  • He found the new software to be very troublesome.
awkward

Describes situations or interactions that are uncomfortable or embarrassing. Often involves social discomfort.

  • The silence after his comment was awkward.
  • It was an awkward moment when they couldn't remember her name.
unfavorable

Describes conditions or circumstances that are likely to produce a bad result or are not supportive. Often used in formal or serious contexts.

  • The weather conditions were unfavorable for a picnic.
  • The company received unfavorable reviews from customers.
impractical

Refers to something that is not sensible, realistic, or cannot be easily done or achieved, especially in a practical context.

  • Your plan to travel to three countries in a week is impractical.
  • Wearing high heels on a hiking trip is impractical.

Examples of usage

  • It's so inconvenient having to drive all the way back to get my wallet.
  • The inconvenient truth is that we will have to work overtime to finish the project on time.
Context #2 | Adjective

in a social setting

Causing embarrassment or hindrance; not suitable.

Synonyms

awkward, embarrassing, inappropriate, troublesome.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
inconvenient

Use this word when something causes mild discomfort or annoyance because it disrupts plans or routines.

  • It's inconvenient for me to meet tomorrow; can we reschedule?
  • The new parking rules are really inconvenient for shoppers.
embarrassing

This word is used to describe situations that make someone feel self-conscious or ashamed.

  • Falling in front of the class was really embarrassing.
  • Forgetting my lines during the presentation was so embarrassing.
troublesome

Describes something that causes difficulty or worry, often more serious than just inconvenient.

  • This troublesome software bug is delaying our project.
  • The troublesome student was always causing issues in class.
awkward

This word is appropriate when describing situations or social interactions that feel uncomfortable or clumsy.

  • It was an awkward moment when we realized we were wearing the same outfit.
  • Her question put me in an awkward position.
inappropriate

This word should be used to describe something that is not suitable or proper in a particular setting or situation, especially in a moral or social context.

  • His joke was completely inappropriate for a formal dinner.
  • Wearing jeans to a wedding is generally considered inappropriate.

Examples of usage

  • It was rather inconvenient to have an argument during the party.
  • She felt it was inconvenient to ask for help in front of everyone.

Translations

Translations of the word "inconvenient" in other languages:

🇵🇹 inconveniente

🇮🇳 असुविधाजनक

🇩🇪 unangenehm

🇮🇩 tidak nyaman

🇺🇦 незручний

🇵🇱 niewygodny

🇯🇵 不便

🇫🇷 incommode

🇪🇸 incómodo

🇹🇷 rahatsız edici

🇰🇷 불편한

🇸🇦 غير مريح

🇨🇿 nepohodlný

🇸🇰 nepohodlný

🇨🇳 不方便

🇸🇮 neprijeten

🇮🇸 óþægilegur

🇰🇿 қолайсыз

🇬🇪 უხერხული

🇦🇿 narahat

🇲🇽 incómodo

Etymology

The word 'inconvenient' originated in the late 15th century from the Latin word 'inconveniens', which means 'not suitable or not proper'. Over time, its usage expanded to describe situations or things that cause trouble or discomfort. The concept of inconvenience has been a fundamental aspect of human experience, reflecting the challenges and obstacles people face in their daily lives.

See also: convenience, convenient, conveniently, convention.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranked #11,691, this word falls into high-advanced vocabulary. It appears less frequently but is valuable for expressing precise meanings in specific contexts.