inconvenience

1 of 2

noun

in·​con·​ve·​nience ˌin-kən-ˈvē-nyən(t)s How to pronounce inconvenience (audio)
Synonyms of inconveniencenext
1
: something that is inconvenient
2
: the quality or state of being inconvenient

inconvenience

2 of 2

verb

in·​con·​ve·​nience ˌin-kən-ˈvē-nyən(t)s How to pronounce inconvenience (audio)
inconvenienced; inconveniencing

transitive verb

: to cause problems or trouble for : subject to inconvenience
sorry to inconvenience you

Synonyms

Noun

Verb

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of inconvenience in a Sentence

Noun Needham was sorry to see him go, for although his high-handedness … had caused some inconvenience, his intelligence and courage were of the first water. — Simon Winchester, The Man Who Loved China, 2008
Any wish or even longing I might have to see her produced no results; sometimes when she showed up it was actually inconvenient, but frustrated longing and inconvenience both ended the same way … — Jane Smiley, Good Faith, 2003
Jem knew as well as I that it was difficult to walk fast without stumping a toe, tripping on stones, and other inconveniences, and I was barefooted. — Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird, 1960
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
But far from being just another inconvenience, their droppings have actually played a vital role in shaping American history. — Scott Travers, Forbes, 20 Mar. 2025 But for outsiders, like President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s brother, who struggled to find the location of a meeting with CIA Director Allen Dulles, the secrecy was nothing but an inconvenience. — Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 Mar. 2025
Verb
While the chance of debris hitting an aircraft is low, its presence in flight paths could still pose a big enough risk that routes will need to be altered — inconveniencing passengers. — Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 7 Feb. 2025 According to a Newsweek article, child-free weddings have sparked heated debates online, with couples facing criticism from family and friends who feel excluded or inconvenienced. — Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Newsweek, 4 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for inconvenience

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English, misfortune, inconsistency, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin inconvenientia, from Latin inconvenient-, inconveniens

First Known Use

Noun

1534, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

circa 1656, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of inconvenience was in 1534

Rhymes for inconvenience

See All Rhymes for inconvenience

Browse Nearby Words

in contumaciam
inconvenience
inconveniency
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Inconvenience.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inconvenience. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

inconvenience

1 of 2 noun
in·​con·​ve·​nience ˌin-kən-ˈvē-nyən(t)s How to pronounce inconvenience (audio)
1
: something that is inconvenient
2
: the quality or state of being inconvenient

inconvenience

2 of 2 verb
inconvenienced; inconveniencing
: to cause discomfort to : put to trouble
inconvenienced by the bad weather

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