inconvenient

USAGE SUMMARY

"inconvenient" is a correct and usable word in written English.
You can use it to describe something that is difficult or awkward to do, or an experience that is annoying or unfavorable. Example: Driving in heavy traffic can be quite inconvenient.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

He said that representatives of the British special forces had told him: "When a war is not declared, journalists are legitimate targets where they are inconvenient".

The Guardian

"How very inconvenient of shale gas to choose places where planning permission will be most difficult," he remarked on Twitter.

The Guardian

Last night, businessmen and former diplomats joined the chorus of criticism, suggesting that the findings had not been promoted because they were inconvenient for the Tory party.

The Guardian

Cedric Bussac, a cyclist from France, fell foul of the regulations last autumn, despite going through the "stressful and inconvenient process" of registering with the migration police when he arrived.

The Guardian

If anything, their goals were inconvenient; rather than having the ball at his feet in the opposition's box he was forced to retreat to the centre-circle for kick-off.

The Guardian - Sport

Christmas Eve is on a Monday this year which is about as inconvenient as you can get for food shopping.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

There were floods and beheadings and genuine horrors, and even as Cameron was almost out of the door of No 10 and home and dry back to Chipping Norton, inconvenient bodies, that he is expected have a genuine-sounding opinion about, wash up pointedly on beaches.

The Guardian - Opinion

That may be inconvenient for the main parties, but it's not a constitutional crisis of any description.

The Guardian - Opinion

My period can be annoying, painful and inconvenient.

The Guardian - Opinion

Few expect the Bank governor, Mark Carney, to lob anything as inconvenient as a rate rise at Chancellor George Osborne this side of a general election – but some of his colleagues are growing impatient.

The Guardian - Opinion

Set in a north-east mining town during the 1984-85 stheke, the story concerns an 11-year miner's son who discovers a wonderful yet inconvenient gift for ballet.

The Guardian - Film

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "inconvenient", consider the specific nuance you want to convey. Alternatives like "awkward" or "untimely" may be more precise depending on the context.

Common error

While "inconvenient" is widely applicable, avoid overusing it in formal or business writing. Consider more sophisticated alternatives like "detrimental" or "disadvantageous" to enhance the tone and precision.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "inconvenient" is as an adjective. It modifies nouns to describe something causing difficulty, trouble, or lack of ease. Ludwig examples show its use in contexts ranging from describing situations to findings.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

36%

Formal & Business

32%

Science

32%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

"Inconvenient" is a commonly used adjective that describes something causing difficulty or trouble. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically correct and suitable for various contexts, though more formal alternatives may exist. The analysis shows that while broadly applicable, being mindful of the nuance is key, with alternative phrases like "awkward" or "untimely" potentially offering greater precision. Predominantly found in News & Media, Formal & Business and Science contexts, "inconvenient" serves to express a negative assessment due to resulting problems or annoyance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

awkward

Emphasizes the difficulty or clumsiness caused by the situation.

untimely

Highlights that something happens at an unsuitable or inappropriate time.

troublesome

Stresses the problems or difficulties something causes.

cumbersome

Focuses on the burdensome or unwieldy nature of something.

inopportune

Highlights the unsuitability of the timing or circumstances.

unsuitable

Indicates that something is not appropriate or fitting for a particular purpose or situation.

difficult

A more general term indicating that something requires effort or is hard to deal with.

unhandy

Indicates something is not easy to use or manage, lacking convenience.

disadvantageous

Highlights that something creates an unfavorable or detrimental situation.

unfavorable

Focuses on the negative or adverse aspects of a situation.

FAQs

How can I use "inconvenient" in a sentence?

You can use "inconvenient" to describe something that causes difficulty or trouble. For example, "The road closure was very inconvenient." or "It's inconvenient that the meeting is scheduled for so early."

What are some alternatives to "inconvenient"?

Alternatives to "inconvenient" include "awkward", "untimely", "troublesome", or "cumbersome", depending on the specific context.

Is "inconvenient" a formal or informal word?

"Inconvenient" is generally considered a neutral word suitable for both formal and informal contexts. However, in very formal settings, you might choose a more sophisticated synonym like "disadvantageous".

What's the difference between "inconvenient" and "difficult"?

"Inconvenient" specifically refers to something causing trouble or difficulty due to timing or circumstances, while "difficult" is a broader term that can refer to anything hard to do or understand.