Standard Lemma guide

inartful

adj · 1 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

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1

adj

Meaning 1

Awkwardly expressed but not necessarily untrue; ill-phrased; inexpedient

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • 2008, Barack Obama, prepared statement, quoted in William Safire, “Inartful”, The New York Times Magazine, 2008 July 20, The fact that [...] General Clark said something that was inartful about John McCain, I don’t think is what is keeping Ohioans up at night.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: clumsy, unartful

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Alteration of earlier unartful, equivalent to in- + artful.