ineloquent
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of ineloquent
First recorded in 1520–30, ineloquent is from the Late Latin word inēloquent- (stem of inēloquēns ). See in- 3, eloquent
Explanation
Someone who is ineloquent struggles to express themselves clearly or persuasively; they may frequently fumble for words or sound awkward and hesitant in conversation. The word ineloquent comes from the Latin eloqui, meaning "to speak out," with the prefix in- meaning "not." It describes the frustration of having a clear idea in your mind that simply doesn't come out in smooth speech. Picture trying to explain a complex thought, but the words fail you — you might stutter, pause often, or say "um" a lot. Ultimately, to be ineloquent is to lack the verbal grace or clarity needed to make your thoughts understood by others.
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.
He can only find selfless, vicarious satisfaction by feeding lines of passionate poetry to his rival-cum-alter-ego, the handsome but ineloquent hero Christian, who wins Roxane's heart.
From Salon • Feb. 28, 2022
But most modern speeches reflect what Kathleen Hall Jamieson of the University of Pennsylvania has called the “conversational style”: not ineloquent, necessarily, but informal, plain-spoken.
From Washington Post • Jul. 8, 2021
As he pounds out his ineloquent thoughts, he reads along: “You are a lone reed waving in the breeze, standing strong and tall in the corrupt sands of commerce.”
From The New Yorker • Aug. 23, 2014
But a coach should hold himself to a higher standard than getting into ineloquent squabbles with players and fans.
From New York Times • Dec. 25, 2011
The grey sky overhead between the house-tops, the cold wind round every street-corner, the sad faces of the men and women on the pavements, combined to create an atmosphere of ineloquent misery.
From The Ghost Ship by Middleton, Richard
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.
