Meaning & use
inconsiderate
Last updated
Meanings
adjectivecomparable
Careless about how your actions affect other people's comfort or feelings.
Grammar: Used after be or before a noun; often followed by of: it was inconsiderate of him.
Patterns
- inconsiderate of someone
- inconsiderate to do something
It was inconsiderate of him to play loud music at midnight.
The inconsiderate guest left the bathroom flooded.
She apologized for being so inconsiderate.
adjectivebefore a noun
Showing no regard for the needs or situation of others, especially in shared spaces.
Grammar: Often describes habits or people: an inconsiderate neighbor.
Patterns
- inconsiderate neighbor
- inconsiderate driver
An inconsiderate driver blocked the whole lane.
The inconsiderate neighbor never cleaned up after his dog.
Leaving trash on the trail is inconsiderate toward other hikers.
Word forms
| comparative | more inconsiderate |
|---|---|
| superlative | most inconsiderate |
Common combinations
- inconsiderate behavior
- Inconsiderate behavior in the library annoyed other students.
- inconsiderate of someone
- It was inconsiderate of you not to call.
- thoughtless and inconsiderate
- He was thoughtless and inconsiderate.
- inconsiderate neighbor
- The inconsiderate neighbor parked across our driveway.
- selfish and inconsiderate
- Her selfish and inconsiderate remark hurt him.
Synonyms and how they differ
- thoughtless
- Thoughtless means failing to think, often by accident, so it is milder than inconsiderate.
- selfish
- Selfish is a stronger word for putting your own wishes first on purpose.
- rude
- Rude focuses on bad manners, whereas inconsiderate focuses on not thinking of others' feelings.
- insensitive
- Insensitive describes missing or ignoring someone's emotions, especially in a sad situation.
Opposites
Word family
- consider verb
- to think about carefully
- considerate adjective
- careful of other people's feelings
- inconsiderately adverb
- in a way that ignores others
- inconsiderateness noun
- the quality of not caring about others
Commonly confused: inconsiderate or inconsiderable? inconsiderate or considerable?
inconsiderate vs inconsiderable
Inconsiderable means small or unimportant in size or amount, and does not describe a person's attitude.
inconsiderate vs considerable
Considerable means large or significant; considerate means caring about others.
Practice
It was ___ of him to leave dirty dishes in the shared kitchen for everyone else to clean.
Choose one answer.
Inconsiderate means failing to think about others, which suits leaving a mess. Inconsiderable looks similar but means small or unimportant.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “inconsiderate”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.