inconvenience
Americannoun
-
inconveniences
plural
-
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
-
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
-
are inconveniencingprogressive
-
is inconveniencingprogressive
-
have been inconveniencingperfect progressive
-
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:
“It’s not just an inconvenience for me,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 4, 2026
The vehicle has the zippy initial acceleration common to EVs, but its top speed proved too much of an inconvenience for others: a stream of drivers passed me in the left-hand turn lane.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026
"We caused great inconvenience and the organising committee takes this seriously," the spokesperson added.
From Barron's ● Sep. 29, 2026
In this environment, hunger can represent a giant inconvenience.
From Slate ● Sep. 23, 2026
How petty she sounded, complaining about the inconvenience to herself.
From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor
But taken together, thousands of decisions to eliminate small inconveniences can also eliminate opportunities for connection.
From Salon ● Oct. 11, 2026
Meanwhile, wide adoption has brought new inconveniences, as even power users feel awkward talking to their laptops.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 29, 2026
The ultrawealthy are wielding their growing fortunes to glide through a rarefied realm unencumbered by the inconveniences of ordinary life.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 16, 2025
"Although, yes, there are inconveniences, the majority of the population is ready for this," he insisted.
From BBC ● Oct. 21, 2025
“It appears to me one of those questions which present great inconveniences whichever way it is decided,” he wrote his new son-in-law.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
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
The 800-year-old church has no toilet, but Mr Robinson did not want to see the team inconvenienced.
From BBC ● Dec. 23, 2024
“A lot of people are going to be inconvenienced with this closure,” said Caltrans spokeperson Eric Mejivar.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2024
How does she feel more inconvenienced than me?
From "Anger Is a Gift" by Mark Oshiro
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
With no workers left, heaps of trash have been overflowing from public bins and dump yards on to the streets, inconveniencing residents.
From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2025
On Saturday morning, in a two-minute address to the nation, Yoon apologized for inconveniencing the public and said that he had been motivated by “desperation.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 7, 2024
In their self-conception, they would be entitled to white-glove service from the federal government in the wake of this massively inconveniencing event.
From Slate ● Mar. 13, 2023
Thompson was dashing and ambitious, "handsome in feature and figure," occasionally courageous and exceedingly bright, but untroubled by anything so inconveniencing as a scruple.
From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
