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malapropos

malapropos

9.9
An action or comment not suitable and happening at a bad time
  • adjective
  • /ˌmæl.əˈproʊ/
translation icon : inapropiado
  • His comments at the funeral were rather malapropos and made everyone uncomfortable.

Examples

  • The interruption was so malapropos that it derailed the entire discussion.

  • It was malapropos to joke about the weather during such a serious meeting.

  • His comments were malapropos during the serious discussion.

  • It was quite malapropos to joke about that topic.

  • His comments at the funeral were rather malapropos and made everyone uncomfortable.

  • It was malapropos to joke about the weather during such a serious meeting.

  • The interruption was so malapropos that it derailed the entire discussion.

Synonyms

wrong
vsmalapropos
1.0

Not suitable for a particular time or purpose

is about being inappropriate in timing rather than general unsuitability
untimely
vsmalapropos
34 5.3

Happening at a bad time, often earlier than expected

is inappropriate at any inconvenient time not only when early
inopportune
vsmalapropos
8 7.3

Happening at a bad time

is inappropriate more broadly rather than focused on convenience
ill-timed
vsmalapropos
3 5.5

Happening at a bad time that causes problems

is inappropriate at inconvenient times even if not obviously bad
unseasonable
vsmalapropos
1 5.9

Happening at a time when it is not right

is inappropriate in timing generally not limited to awkward moments

Antonyms

111 3.0

Happening at the right time to be useful

apropos
  • Formal
17 7.7

Relevant to what is being discussed

13 6.8

Happening at a good time to be useful

How Appropriate

appropriate
962 3.5
suitable
172 1.8
inappropriate
354 3.7
malapropos
9.9
ill-timed
3 5.5

Surface Forms

malapropos positive

Morphology

malapropos = apropos (semi-transparent) = mal + apropos

The meaning is a straightforward negation of 'apropos' if the learner recognises 'mal-' as a negative prefix and 'apropos' as 'appropriate', but the word is a borrowed fixed phrase and may not be productively analyzable by many learners.

Etymology

Malapropos comes from the French phrase mal à propos: mal means 'bad' and propos is like the English word purpose, so the phrase meant 'bad for the purpose'. So something malapropos is not suitable and happens at the wrong time.