Standard Lemma guide

inclement

adj · 5 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.

  • UK, US: /ɪnˈklɛm.ənt/
  • UK, US: /ˈɪn.kləm.ənt/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: IH2 N K L EH1 M AH0 N T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 2: IH1 N K L IH0 M AH0 N T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Stormy, of rough weather; not clement.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • inclement weather

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: foul

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Merciless, unrelenting.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: pitiless, remorseless, unmerciful, unyielding, barbarous, bowelless, brutal, compassionless, cruel, demonic, despiteful, diabolic, diabolical, fell, incessive, inclement, inhuman, inhumane, malicious, merciless, nasty, nonhumane, rotten, ruthless, sadistic, savage, spiteful, truculent, unbenevolent, unbenign, unkind, unpitiful, unpitying

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Unmercifully severe in temper or action.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adjective

Meaning 4

used of persons or behavior; showing no clemency or mercy

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the harsh sentence of an inclement judge

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: clement

5

adjective

Meaning 5

(of weather or climate) severe

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: clement

History

Etymology

From Latin inclēmēns (“unmerciful, severe”), from in- (“not”) + clēmēns (“mild, placid”).

Across languages

Translations

38 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: суров (surov) — stormy
  • Bulgarian: неприветлив (neprivetliv) — stormy
  • Catalan: inclement — stormy
  • Catalan: tempestuós — stormy
  • Czech: drsný — stormy
  • Czech: nevlídný — stormy
  • Czech: špatný — stormy
  • Dutch: ruig — stormy
  • Dutch: stormachtig — stormy
  • Finnish: myrskyisä — stormy
  • Finnish: raivoisa — stormy
  • Irish: anróiteach — stormy
  • Māori: ruru — stormy
  • Māori: mākato — stormy
  • Māori: katopō — stormy
  • Russian: суро́вый (suróvyj) — stormy
  • Russian: ненастный (nenastnyj) — stormy
  • Spanish: inclemente — stormy
  • Spanish: destemplado — stormy
  • Spanish: desapacible — stormy
  • Spanish: tempestuoso — stormy
  • Spanish: borrascoso — stormy
  • Swedish: stormig — stormy
  • Swedish: bister — stormy
  • Swedish: omild — stormy
  • Swedish: sträng — stormy
  • Catalan: inclement — merciless
  • Czech: tvrdý — merciless
  • Czech: krutý — merciless
  • Dutch: genadeloos — merciless
  • Finnish: armoton — merciless
  • French: inclément — merciless
  • Italian: inclemente — merciless
  • Latin: inclēmēns — merciless
  • Russian: беспоща́дный (bespoščádnyj) — merciless
  • Spanish: inclemente — merciless
  • Swedish: oförsonlig — merciless
  • Swedish: obeveklig — merciless