inappropriate
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of inappropriate
First recorded in 1795–1805; in- 3 + appropriate
Explanation
The word "appropriate" means correct or proper and since the little prefix "in" turns its meaning around, something inappropriate is considered not proper or suitable. Nowadays, it seems, anything goes. Yet good manners and standards prevail, and some things are simply inappropriate — such as taking a toddler to a violent movie, or making jokes at someone else's expense. You wouldn't show your future father-in-law naked pictures of his daughter or wear a bathing suit to a state dinner. Those actions are simply inappropriate.
Vocabulary lists containing inappropriate
Fish in a Tree
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Nothing But the Truth
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Game Changer
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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.
As well as broken or uneven steps, weak ankles or knees and inappropriate footwear, a variety of other factors can lead to falls, the CDC says.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 5, 2026
"As these legal proceedings are currently ongoing, it would be inappropriate for us to comment further," a spokesperson for the force that carried out the arrest said.
From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026
"It would be inappropriate to comment further whilst investigations are ongoing."
From Barron's ● Sep. 27, 2026
Bristol NHS Foundation Trust said it was undertaking a "thorough investigation" and it would be "inappropriate to reach conclusions before those enquiries are complete".
From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2026
We were having an absurd and inappropriate argument because in the wake of death every single thing on earth feels absurd and inappropriate.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
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.
