Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

inappropriate

American  
[in-uh-proh-pree-it] / ˌɪn əˈproʊ pri ɪt /

adjective

  1. not appropriate; not proper or suitable.

    an inappropriate dress for the occasion.
    Synonyms:
    unfitting, inapt, unsuitable, improper
inappropriate British  
/ ˌɪnəˈprəʊprɪɪt /

adjective

  1. not fitting or appropriate; unsuitable or untimely

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • inappropriately adverb
  • inappropriateness noun

Etymology

Origin of inappropriate

First recorded in 1795–1805; in- 3 + appropriate

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.

In late 2024, Lively accused Baldoni of inappropriate on-set behavior, including comments about her appearance and alleged retaliation after she raised concerns.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 2, 2026

It’s just a downer, an inappropriate introduction of ugly real-world truths.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 2, 2026

On Tuesday, the BBC apologised for not looking into a separate allegation of "inappropriate communications" involving Mills, first reported in the Telegraph, raised by a freelance journalist last year.

From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026

Volker Beck, president of the German-Israeli Society, labelled Steinmeier's comments on the war "grossly inappropriate" and said they displayed a "smug know-it-all attitude".

From Barron's • Mar. 24, 2026

“I’m the King’s Champion. Surely you realize how inappropriate it would be for me to have a relationship with a prince.”

From "Throne of Glass" by Sarah J. Maas

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.