Meaning & use
malapropos
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Meanings
adjectivenot comparable
Not suitable for the time, place, or situation; inappropriate.
Grammar: Used after a linking verb or before a noun, but not with 'more' or 'most'.
Patterns
- malapropos remark
- malapropos behavior
- be malapropos
His malapropos joke at the funeral upset everyone.
The timing of the announcement was malapropos, coming just after the layoffs.
She made a malapropos comment about money when the family was struggling.
adverbformalliteraryrare
At an unsuitable time; inopportunely.
Grammar: Modifies a verb or clause, often placed at the end or beginning of a sentence.
Patterns
- speak malapropos
- arrive malapropos
He spoke malapropos, bringing up politics during the wedding toast.
The question was raised malapropos, just as the meeting was ending.
Common combinations
- malapropos remark
- His malapropos remark about her weight made everyone uncomfortable.
- malapropos comment
- The politician's malapropos comment was widely criticized.
- malapropos timing
- The malapropos timing of the sale meant few people attended.
Synonyms and how they differ
- inappropriate
- Inappropriate is the everyday word; malapropos is much rarer and more formal, often used in literary contexts.
- inopportune
- Inopportune emphasizes bad timing rather than general unsuitability; malapropos can refer to both time and situation.
- unseasonable
- Unseasonable is used mainly for weather or events happening at the wrong time of year, while malapropos is broader.
Opposites
Word family
- malapropism noun
- The mistaken use of a word in place of a similar-sounding one, often with humorous effect.
Commonly confused: malapropos or malapropism?
malapropos vs malapropism
Malapropism is a noun for a funny word mix-up, while malapropos is an adjective or adverb meaning unsuitable. They come from the same root but are used differently.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'malapropos' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Malapropos is an adjective meaning unsuitable, so it can describe a remark. Option 0 is wrong because weather is not typically described as malapropos (unseasonable is better), option 2 is wrong because malapropos is not a verb, and option 3 is wrong because it is not a noun.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “malapropos”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.