adj · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
Received-Pronunciation:/ˌɪnəˈpɹəʊpɹi.ət/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
General-American:/ˌɪnəˈpɹoʊpɹi.ət/
CMU ARPABET:IH2 N AH0 P R OW1 P R IY0 IH0 T
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Not appropriate; not suitable for the situation, time, or place.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
It is inappropriate to burp at a formal dinner.
The violent movie is inappropriate for school.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: inept
Antonyms: none provided
2
adj
Meaning 2
Improper; adult; sexual.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: informal
Examples
kids saying inappropriate things
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
adj
Meaning 3
(of an action or thing) vile or unpleasant; repulsive.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: informal
Examples
Discrimination and abuse are examples of inappropriate actions.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
adj
Meaning 4
Too vile.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: informal
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
adjective
Meaning 5
not suitable for a particular occasion etc
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
noise seems inappropriate at a time of sadness
inappropriate shoes for a walk on the beach
put inappropriate pressure on them
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: appropriate
6
adjective satellite
Meaning 6
not in keeping with what is correct or proper
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
completely inappropriate behavior
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: incompatible, out or keeping(p), unfitting
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *né Proto-Indo-European *n̥- Proto-Italic *n̥- Latin in-bor. Middle English in- English in- English appropriate English inappropriate From in- + appropriate.
Across languages
Translations
66 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Azerbaijani:
yersiz
— not appropriate or suitable
Azerbaijani:
tutarsız
— not appropriate or suitable
Azerbaijani:
uyğunsuz
— not appropriate or suitable
Azerbaijani:
namünasib
— not appropriate or suitable
Bulgarian:
неподходящ
(nepodhodjašt)
— not appropriate or suitable
Bulgarian:
неуместен
(neumesten)
— not appropriate or suitable
Bulgarian:
несъответстващ
(nesǎotvetstvašt)
— not appropriate or suitable
Bulgarian:
нецелесъобразен
(necelesǎobrazen)
— not appropriate or suitable
Catalan:
inapropiat
— not appropriate or suitable
Catalan:
improcedent
— not appropriate or suitable
Danish:
upassende
— not appropriate or suitable
Dutch:
ongepast
— not appropriate or suitable
Esperanto:
malkonvena
— not appropriate or suitable
Finnish:
sopimaton
— not appropriate or suitable
Finnish:
epäasiallinen
— not appropriate or suitable
Finnish:
asiaton
— not appropriate or suitable
French:
inapproprié
— not appropriate or suitable
French:
déplacé
— not appropriate or suitable
Galician:
inapropiado
— not appropriate or suitable
Galician:
fóra de lugar
— not appropriate or suitable
German:
unangebracht
— not appropriate or suitable
German:
unangemessen
— not appropriate or suitable
German:
unpassend
— not appropriate or suitable
Greek:
ακατάλληλος
(akatállilos)
— not appropriate or suitable
Gujarati:
અયોગ્ય
(ayogya)
— not appropriate or suitable
Hindi:
अनुचित
(anucit)
— not appropriate or suitable
Hindi:
अशोभनीय
(aśobhnīya)
— not appropriate or suitable
Hungarian:
alkalmatlan
— not appropriate or suitable
Hungarian:
helytelen
— not appropriate or suitable
Japanese:
そぐわない
(soguwanai)
— not appropriate or suitable
Japanese:
場違いな
(bachigai na)
— not appropriate or suitable
Japanese:
不相応な
(fusōō na)
— not appropriate or suitable
Japanese:
不適切な
(futekisetsu na)
— not appropriate or suitable
Lakota:
šikšíl
— not appropriate or suitable
Macedonian:
несоо́дветен
(nesoódveten)
— not appropriate or suitable
Macedonian:
непри́годен
(neprígoden)
— not appropriate or suitable
Macedonian:
недо́личен
(nedóličen)
— not appropriate or suitable
Mongolian:
эегүй
(ejegüj)
— not appropriate or suitable
Norwegian Bokmål:
upassende
— not appropriate or suitable
Norwegian Bokmål:
uheldig
— not appropriate or suitable
Norwegian Bokmål:
malplassert
— not appropriate or suitable
Norwegian Bokmål:
uskikket
— not appropriate or suitable
Norwegian Nynorsk:
upassande
— not appropriate or suitable
Norwegian Nynorsk:
uheldig
— not appropriate or suitable
Norwegian Nynorsk:
malplassert
— not appropriate or suitable
Norwegian Nynorsk:
uskikka
— not appropriate or suitable
Okinawan:
ふそーうー
(fusōū)
— not appropriate or suitable
Polish:
niewłaściwy
— not appropriate or suitable
Polish:
nieodpowiedni
— not appropriate or suitable
Portuguese:
inapropriado
— not appropriate or suitable
Portuguese:
improcedente
— not appropriate or suitable
Romanian:
inadecvat
— not appropriate or suitable
Romanian:
necorespunzător
— not appropriate or suitable
Romanian:
impropriu
— not appropriate or suitable
Romanian:
inoportun
— not appropriate or suitable
Romanian:
nepotrivit
— not appropriate or suitable
Russian:
неуместный
(neumestnyj)
— not appropriate or suitable
Serbo-Croatian:
neprìkladan
— not appropriate or suitable
Spanish:
inapropiado
— not appropriate or suitable
Spanish:
improcedente
— not appropriate or suitable
Swedish:
opassande
— not appropriate or suitable
Swedish:
olämplig
— not appropriate or suitable
Turkish:
uygunsuz
— not appropriate or suitable
Ukrainian:
недоре́чний
(nedoréčnyj)
— not appropriate or suitable
Ukrainian:
невідпові́дний
(nevidpovídnyj)
— not appropriate or suitable
Ukrainian:
ненале́жний
(nenaléžnyj)
— not appropriate or suitable