as in unexpected
occurring before the usual or expected time
their inopportune arrival before the house was cleaned
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of inopportune
There’s the brooding, damaged Creasy, who confusingly passes out at inopportune moments owing to his trauma; an international setting (Italy in the book and first film, Mexico City in the 2004 movie); and a young woman who breaks through his defenses and teaches him to feel again.
—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Apr. 2026
Bunting’s injury simply came at a most inopportune time.
—
Mark Lazerus,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2026
Twenty-six years ago, students treated a visit by then-President Bill Clinton as a challenge, and outwitted the Secret Service by secretly rigging a banner to unfurl at an inopportune moment.
—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
26 Apr. 2026
With the midterms ahead and the economy teetering, this seems like a particularly inopportune time to have a spat with the first American pope — who also happens to come from Chicago, long one of the nation’s most Catholic cities.
—
Clarence Page,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inopportune
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Apr. 2026
Bunting’s injury simply came at a most inopportune time.
—
Mark Lazerus,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2026
Twenty-six years ago, students treated a visit by then-President Bill Clinton as a challenge, and outwitted the Secret Service by secretly rigging a banner to unfurl at an inopportune moment.
—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
26 Apr. 2026
With the midterms ahead and the economy teetering, this seems like a particularly inopportune time to have a spat with the first American pope — who also happens to come from Chicago, long one of the nation’s most Catholic cities.
—
Clarence Page,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inopportune
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inopportune
Adjective
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Artisan Market Thoughtful, small-batch cookies made with intention and inspired by unexpected flavors.
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And while many know Mariska Hargitay from her decades-long run on Law & Order or as one of the Knicks' biggest hype women, she can also be considered among fashion's unexpected trendsetters.
Adjective
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All that to say, a glass of rye whiskey, one of the oldest drinks in America and the original base of many of our earliest cocktails like Manhattans and Old Fashioneds, is an easy way to honor the scrappy American spirit.
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Heck, the city almost lost out on Messi altogether, with Argentina barely escaping Cape Verde in an early knockout match Friday night.
Adjective
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For now, the Census numbers indicate that calls predicting remote work’s demise may have been premature.
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The brand uses tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate, a gentle, stabilized form of vitamin C that brightens and protects against premature aging.
Adjective
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Earthquakes' sudden, rapid shaking can cause fires, tsunamis, landslides or avalanches.
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Small Holes One sign of snakes in your garden could be the sudden appearance of small holes that could be about the size of a small coin, or up to two inches.
Adjective
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The Kansas City Royals continue to be hamstrung untimely departures.
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By the time season 6 rolled around, plenty of characters — major and minor — had met their untimely ends.
Adjective
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That precocious talent combines with her naturally confident disposition to create one fiery competitor.
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Photograph by Sébastien Leban for TIME France A talent out of the ordinary, precocious beyond doubt… Kylian Mbappé has all the qualities of a sage who seems to have already lived nearly everything by the age of 27.
Cite this Entry
“Inopportune.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inopportune. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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