Thesaurus.com
Dictionary.com
Definitions

inelegant

[in-el-i-guhnt] / ɪnˈɛl ɪ gənt /


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.

As designed by David Rockwell, it’s sumptuously drenched in Art Deco, a pristinely elegant background in amusing contrast to the farcically inelegant events that take place in it.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 20, 2026

Hockey was a bruising, inelegant sport played in the frozen tundra of Canada and the upper Midwest when Vachon was traded from the Montreal Canadiens to the Kings in the winter of 1971.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 12, 2026

Shock can be great even when done for shock’s sake, but when it’s clumsily smashed against an otherwise serious story, both elements are weakened by the awkward, inelegant force at which they collide.

From Salon • Aug. 8, 2025

His change of mind on New Zealand's haka – which he initially branded "ridiculous" earlier this month – was just the latest inelegant public u-turn.

From BBC • Nov. 27, 2024

Lexie perched at the counter, inelegant in sweatpants and a tee, hair clipped in an untidy bun, picking sesame seeds off a bagel.

From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng




Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember "inelegant" for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com