inconvenience
Americannoun
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inconveniences
plural
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the quality or state of being inconvenient.
-
an inconvenient circumstance or thing; something that causes discomfort, trouble, etc.
verb (used with object)
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inconveniences,
present (3rd person singular)
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inconvenienced,
past participle, past
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inconveniencing
present participle
noun
-
the state or quality of being inconvenient
-
something inconvenient; a hindrance, trouble, or difficulty
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
inconveniencesimple
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inconveniencessimple
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have inconveniencedperfect
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has inconveniencedperfect
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am inconveniencingprogressive
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are inconveniencingprogressive
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is inconveniencingprogressive
-
have been inconveniencingperfect progressive
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has been inconveniencingperfect progressive
Past
-
inconveniencedsimple
-
had inconveniencedperfect
-
was inconveniencingprogressive
-
were inconveniencingprogressive
-
had been inconveniencingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of inconvenience
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English word from Late Latin word inconvenientia. See in- 3, convenience
Explanation
An inconvenience is an annoying occurrence that makes you go out of your way, like the inconvenience of a detour that takes you off your usual route, or the inconvenience of the door bell ringing just as you are about to take a dish out of the oven. The noun inconvenience, pronounced "in-cun-VEE-nyent," comes from the Latin word inconvenientia, from in-, meaning “not,” and convenient-, meaning “agreeing, fitting.” That meaning still holds true for inconvenience: something that doesn’t fit easily into your life, though it doesn't cause suffering, either. Use it to describe small irritations, like the inconvenience of an airport delay.
Vocabulary lists containing inconvenience
The Giver
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"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 26–31
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The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The CMS paid him a £100 "consolatory payment" and an internal note said mistakes at the time had caused Gerry "gross inconvenience".
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026
You have to realize: Being arrested isn’t just about the inconvenience of being incarcerated — it’s that now you’re in the system.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
Still: Rigorous testing feels like a necessary inconvenience at a time when records set in doping eras continue to be shattered—not just by Pogacar and Vingegaard, but by other riders in the field.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
They added: "Persimmon Homes apologises for the obvious inconvenience and concern this will cause to all residents and will continue to provide on-going support until the situation is resolved."
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026
He offered to drive us, too, but as Caleb says, we prefer to leave later and would not want to inconvenience him.
From "Divergent" by Veronica Roth
The inconveniences of Slack and Zoom are fixable problems, the LSE researchers argue, which corporate America could work to address.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 29, 2026
Small inconveniences you overlook on vacation can become major issues when they are part of your daily life.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 29, 2025
"In this study, we're talking about daily stressors, the minor inconveniences that occur throughout the day, but there's also chronic stress where people are continually impacted by stressors again and again," Witzel said.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 20, 2025
Most cities here also lack pet-friendly public spaces, hotels and transport options, presenting a multitude of inconveniences to pet parents.
From BBC ● Mar. 27, 2025
For between him and his ship were more than a few inconveniences.
From "The Princess Bride" by William Goldman
In both cases, an individual is inconvenienced to improve the overall environment, making it healthier for everyone.
From Salon ● May 1, 2026
However, some ways of being inconvenienced are more draining than others.
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 19, 2026
But the crowds and snarled traffic have inconvenienced some including Eric Stein, a Park City resident, who said he can’t wait for the festival to leave town.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 31, 2026
They repeatedly didn't turn up, meaning many court days were lost and jurors were hugely inconvenienced.
From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2025
Mother did her makeup every morning, but if she didn’t have time she’d apologize all day, as if by not doing it, she had inconvenienced everyone.
From "Educated" by Tara Westover
"I hope it's a beautiful wedding...but I think they should do it somewhere that's less inconveniencing to general populace of New York City," she laughed.
From BBC ● Jul. 4, 2026
The NFL is cautious about inconveniencing 75,000 fans for a relatively small bump in viewership.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 20, 2025
She later apologized to her security detail, secretaries and driver for inconveniencing them by starting at such an early hour.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 24, 2025
Aside from inconveniencing other moviegoers as they shuffle past, stepping on toes and grabbing seatbacks after the lights have gone down, they’re missing every single trailer for an upcoming attraction.
From Salon ● May 22, 2025
You must fulfill your obligation for inconveniencing her.
From "A Step from Heaven" by An Na
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
