Definitions

infelicitous

[in-fuh-lis-i-tuhs] / ˌɪn fəˈlɪs ɪ təs /

ADJECTIVE

unfortunate

Synonyms

WEAK

adverse afflicted awkward broken burdened calamitous cursed damaging deplorable desperate destitute disastrous doomed forsaken hapless hopeless ill-chosen ill-fated ill-starred in a bad way inappropriate inept inopportune jinxed lamentable luckless out of luck pained poor regrettable ruined ruinous shattered star-crossed stricken troubled unbecoming unfavorable unhappy unpropitious unprosperous unsuccessful unsuitable untoward wretched

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.

The former minister said his comments were "infelicitous" but "his concerns about Islamism are entirely legitimate" and he should not have been suspended from the party.

From BBC • Feb. 27, 2024

It struck me as infelicitous at best that Aster’s “hero” should be “subjected” to the very sort of inner-city crime fantasy that so often misrepresents urban life in American pop culture.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 19, 2023

The current infelicitous phrase, coined in 2004 by sociologist Irene Levin, is that I’m part of an LAT couple, Living Apart Together.

From The Guardian • Sep. 23, 2017

Who among us doesn’t feel compelled to change things so that we will satisfy Microsoft Word and produce a document clean of its automatically determined infelicitous word choices!

From Slate • Jul. 1, 2016

The copy editor for the series, our last line of defense against the stupid mistake or infelicitous phrase, was Joe Rogers.

From "Class Matters" by The New York Times

Vocabulary lists containing infelicitous

Way Off: Synonyms for "Wrong"

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Tess of the d'Urbervilles

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Pay Attention, Carter Jones

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