inopportune


Also found in: Thesaurus, Idioms.

in·op·por·tune

 (ĭn-ŏp′ər-to͞on′, -tyo͞on′)
adj.
Inappropriate or ill-timed; not opportune.

in·op′por·tune′ly adv.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

inopportune

(ɪnˈɒpəˌtjuːn)
adj
not opportune; inappropriate or badly timed
inˈopporˌtunely adv
inˈopporˌtuneness, inˌopporˈtunity n
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

in•op•por•tune

(ɪnˌɒp ərˈtun, -ˈtyun)

adj.
not opportune; untimely or unseasonable.
[1525–35; < Late Latin]
in•op`por•tune′ly, adv.
in•op`por•tune′ness, in•op`por•tu′ni•ty, n.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Adj.1.inopportune - not opportune; "arrived at a most inopportune hour"; "an inopportune visit"
disadvantageous - constituting a disadvantage
opportune - suitable or at a time that is suitable or advantageous especially for a particular purpose; "an opportune place to make camp"; "an opportune arrival"
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

inopportune

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

inopportune

adjective
Not occurring at a favorable time:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
alkalmatlan

inopportune

[ɪnˈɒpətjuːn] ADJinoportuno
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

inopportune

[ɪnˈɒpərtjuːn] adjinopportun(e)
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

inopportune

adjinopportun; demand, visit, resignation, moment alsoungelegen; wordsunpassend, nicht angebracht; to be inopportuneungelegen or zur Unzeit kommen; it’s very inopportune that …es kommt sehr ungelegen, dass …
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

inopportune

[ɪnˈɒpətjuːn] adjinopportuno/a
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
References in classic literature ?
Nothing indeed could have happened so very inopportune as this accident; the most wanton malice of fortune could not have contrived such another stratagem to confound the poor fellow, while he was so triumphantly descanting on the good morals inculcated by his exhibitions.
Nothing explicit had been said that evening; but much, very much, in the way of sympathy and feeling had been revealed, and but for the inopportune entrance of Julia and myself, all might have been told.
Such questions, at such an hour, were bound to drift through his mind; but he was conscious that their uncomfortable persistence and precision were due to the inopportune arrival of the Countess Olenska.
"We all," the Duchess continued, "look upon your husband's arrival as inopportune and unfortunate.
But that perversity, which all children have more or less of, and of which little Pearl had a tenfold portion, now, at the most inopportune moment, took thorough possession of her, and closed her lips, or impelled her to speak words amiss.
To which Don Quixote very deliberately and phlegmatically replied, "Fair damsel, at the present moment your request is inopportune, for I am debarred from involving myself in any adventure until I have brought to a happy conclusion one to which my word has pledged me; but that which I can do for you is what I will now mention: run and tell your father to stand his ground as well as he can in this battle, and on no account to allow himself to be vanquished, while I go and request permission of the Princess Micomicona to enable me to succour him in his distress; and if she grants it, rest assured I will relieve him from it."
How foolish and inopportune that mistletoe looked now.
It seemed a strangely inopportune moment for a proud member of a proud race to unbend in casual conversation with a captor.
But you must know that I've been in London several times within the last few years, and you might very well think that just now is a rather inopportune time--"
"To ask for means to leave a country," added Michel, "When we have not yet arrived there, seems to me rather inopportune."
I must stay and follow the advice of my hostess, while thwarting the conjugal designs of this inopportune apparition."
At first we thought it was a fit, and then we saw that it was mirth--the inopportune mirth of the Artistic Temperament.