1
as in inappropriate
not appropriate for a particular occasion or situation
an inapt but well-meaning attempt to inject some humor into the proceedings
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in unfit
lacking qualities (as knowledge, skill, or ability) required to do a job
a recruit who was utterly inapt for most soldierly duties, so he spent most of his time playing in the army band
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of inapt
As Pettis explains, the problem is one of inapt comparisons.
—
Joseph Thorndike, Forbes, 13 Jan. 2025
The visual flair peaks in the first episode, along with the series’ shallow, if not necessarily inapt, insight into life in this particular time and place.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Jan. 2025
The comparison is pungent but inapt: Archival work is not death work.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 14 May 2024
Some assert that a grip can hardly be considered an inapt jail without also being a biplane.
—Jay Pilgreen, Kansas City Star, 12 Feb. 2024
If not then your analogy is inapt.
—Jonathan Edwards, Washington Post, 25 Apr. 2023
As a rebuke to warmongers, a monument from one Hohenzollern despot to another seems inapt and more like a hint to keep those hobnail jackboots handy.
—Brian T. Allen, National Review, 1 Apr. 2023
The comparison isn’t entirely inapt.
—New York Times, 19 Jan. 2021
Moreover, the analogy to securities regulation is inapt.
—M. Todd Henderson, WSJ, 16 May 2022
Joseph Thorndike, Forbes, 13 Jan. 2025
The visual flair peaks in the first episode, along with the series’ shallow, if not necessarily inapt, insight into life in this particular time and place.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Jan. 2025
The comparison is pungent but inapt: Archival work is not death work.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 14 May 2024
Some assert that a grip can hardly be considered an inapt jail without also being a biplane.
—Jay Pilgreen, Kansas City Star, 12 Feb. 2024
If not then your analogy is inapt.
—Jonathan Edwards, Washington Post, 25 Apr. 2023
As a rebuke to warmongers, a monument from one Hohenzollern despot to another seems inapt and more like a hint to keep those hobnail jackboots handy.
—Brian T. Allen, National Review, 1 Apr. 2023
The comparison isn’t entirely inapt.
—New York Times, 19 Jan. 2021
Moreover, the analogy to securities regulation is inapt.
—M. Todd Henderson, WSJ, 16 May 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inapt
Adjective
-
While booting a car may be an appropriate remedy to curb parking violations, booting a car that also immobilizes other non-offending vehicles is inappropriate.—
Gary Singer,
Sun Sentinel,
27 Feb. 2025
-
Some praised the Hitch star for looking happy and returning to music, while others said that the onstage moment of attempting to kiss Martinez was inappropriate.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
27 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Kash Patel is set to become the latest of President Donald Trump‘s unfit and unqualified loyalists confirmed for a leadership role in Washington, with Senate Republicans ready and willing to install the QAnon promoter and 2020 election denier as the next director of the FBI.—
Miles Klee,
Rolling Stone,
19 Feb. 2025
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Her letter, which was followed up by a social media post, was withering in making the case that Kennedy was unfit for the role and personal in detailing his struggles with drug addiction.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
28 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Polar research and expeditions were considered inherently masculine endeavors unsuitable for women during the heroic age of Antarctic exploration, which began in 1897 and lasted until 1922.—
Nicole Edenedo,
AFAR Media,
3 Mar. 2025
-
When the wildly unsuitable secretary of defense announces there will be 8% cuts in our military budget for each of the next five years, some weapons programs will be reduced or cancelled to meet that goal.—
Kevin Rennie,
Hartford Courant,
1 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Anyone can file a petition in probate court in Florida seeking to declare an adult incompetent to handle their own affairs, though, typically, such petitions are submitted by family members worried their elderly relatives can no longer care for themselves.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
26 Feb. 2025
-
But Marshall can’t do it alone and teams up with his former high school lab partner Frances Applewhite (voiced by Emily Pendergast), who works for a sinking pharmaceutical company as the assistant to incompetent CEO Rick Kruger (voiced by executive producer Mike Judge).—
Bill Desowitz,
IndieWire,
3 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Fixes an issue where certain text hints in combat were incorrect when using a Friend's Support character Trailblazer.—
Ross Rosenfeld,
Newsweek,
26 Feb. 2025
-
But a New York Times analysis of the $55 billion in savings claimed by DOGE found that the math is marred with accounting errors, incorrect assumptions, outdated data and other mistakes.—
Talmon Joseph Smith,
New York Times,
22 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Like the House bill, its text has not yet been released. DEA hearings on the rescheduling proposal have been delayed by at least three months due to appeals from pro-reform witnesses claiming improper communications between the DEA and certain opponents.—
Dario Sabaghi,
Forbes,
26 Feb. 2025
-
After reviewing body camera footage of the incident as part of its internal investigation, the department recommended that the officer receive a two-day suspension for the improper search allegation.—
Libor Jany,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Child and Dependent Care Credit: Provides a credit for a percentage of expenses paid for the care of qualifying individuals, such as children under 13 or a spouse or dependent who is incapable of self-care, to enable the taxpayer to work or look for work.—
Tommy Tuberville,
Newsweek,
7 Mar. 2025
-
The apartment belongs to Booth, who doesn’t work and seems incapable of holding down a job.—
Charles McNulty,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Notoriously indifferent to anyone on the wrong side of the 25-54 demo, advertisers eat this stuff up with a spork.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
7 Mar. 2025
-
Recently, inflation has been moving in the wrong direction.—
Alain Sherter,
CBS News,
7 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Inapt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inapt. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
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