inconsiderate
Americanadjective
-
without due regard for the rights or feelings of others.
It was inconsiderate of him to keep us waiting.
- Synonyms:
- rude, uncaring, insensitive
-
acting without consideration; thoughtless; heedless.
-
overhasty; rash; ill-considered.
slovenly, inconsiderate reasoning.
adjective
-
lacking in care or thought for others; heedless; thoughtless
-
rare insufficiently considered
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of inconsiderate
First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English word from Latin word inconsīderātus. See in- 3, considerate
Explanation
Inconsiderate behavior is rude: it doesn't take into consideration the feelings of other people. When you're considerate, you're polite and thoughtful. You consider other people's feelings. When you add the prefix -in (not) to considerate, you get its opposite. Not writing a thank-you note for a gift is inconsiderate. Not returning a phone call is inconsiderate. Not inviting a friend to a party is inconsiderate. Most inconsiderate behavior is also selfish.
Vocabulary lists containing inconsiderate
"The Fast and the Fuel-Efficient" and "Teens Open Doors"
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Shouting at the Rain
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Ollie in Between
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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.
“Doing it now, just before Jackson Hole, strikes me as pretty inconsiderate if not a slap in the face.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026
It means for enforcement officers and volunteers, summer is often marked by irresponsible parking, inconsiderate camping and even human waste - which doesn't quite have the same ring to it as the Summer of Love.
From BBC ● Aug. 2, 2026
In the hours after the humiliating public disclosure, Roh told friends she wondered whether she had been too selfish and inconsiderate of her husband’s emotions, according to local media reports.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
It turned countless people into inconsiderate monsters, even in the most minute ways.
From Salon ● Jun. 13, 2026
Sometimes the people of the village complained about them and their horseplay, said that they were a noisy, inconsiderate group, worse than any bunch of adolescents that had ever lived in Boys' Lodge.
From "Son" by Lois Lowry
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.
