inarticulate
Americanadjective
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lacking the ability to express oneself, especially in clear and effective speech.
an inarticulate public speaker.
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unable to use articulate speech.
inarticulate with rage.
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not articulate; not uttered or emitted with expressive or intelligible modulations.
His mouth stuffed, he could utter only inarticulate sounds.
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not fully expressed or expressible.
a voice choked with inarticulate agony.
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Anatomy, Zoology. not jointed; having no articulation or joint.
adjective
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unable to express oneself fluently or clearly; incoherent
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(of speech, language, etc) unclear or incomprehensible; unintelligible
inarticulate grunts
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unable to speak; dumb
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unable to be expressed; unvoiced
inarticulate suffering
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biology having no joints, segments, or articulation
Other Word Forms
- inarticulately adverb
- inarticulateness noun
Etymology
Origin of inarticulate
From the Late Latin word inarticulātus, dating back to 1595–1605. See in- 3, articulate
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.
There’s more to this inarticulate cadet than his handsome exterior, though it will take some time for even the discerning Cyrano to recognize his subordinate’s distinction and to acknowledge his way with words.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 10, 2024
He has suffered for us, in his endearingly inarticulate fashion.
From Salon • Nov. 18, 2023
And they seek others who share their general, inarticulate uneasiness.
From Seattle Times • Feb. 22, 2023
To understand the gap between how Nitram saw himself versus how others perceived the inarticulate, angry young man, Kurzel assigned Jones tasks: film himself with a video camera, doodle in a diary.
From New York Times • Apr. 1, 2022
Immediately upon landing in Washington, Oliphant called on Briggs, only to learn in dismay that “this inarticulate and unimpressive man had put the reports in his safe” without even showing them to his own committee.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
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.
