adjective

inconvenient

in-kuhn-VEEN-ee-unt/ˌɪnkənˈviːniənt/

Causing trouble or difficulty by being unsuitable for someone's needs.

The full grocery bags make unlocking the door inconvenient without a free hand.

A shopper carrying two full grocery bags awkwardly tries to unlock her front door without a free hand, showing a small but troublesome interruption to an ordinary task.

Etymology

inLatinnot

+conLatintogether

+veniLatinto come

+entLatinpresent-participle ending

“Coming together” developed into agreeing or being suitable. With the negative prefix, the word meant “unsuitable,” which developed into the sense of troublesome or awkward.

In context

Simpawtico Dog Training6:49

It's inconvenient for us humans, but we don't call it bad behavior when a baby poops its pants or cries at night.

Puppy Biting? Learn Bite Inhibition Training!

More examples

Is this an inconvenient time to call?
The nearest pharmacy is in an inconvenient location.
Changing buses twice makes this route more inconvenient.

Forms

inconvenient · more inconvenient · most inconvenient

inconvenience noun — Trouble or difficulty that disrupts plans.

inconveniently adverb — In a way that causes difficulty.

Similar words

awkward: Often suggests arrangements that are difficult to manage.
troublesome: Emphasizes causing problems rather than being unsuitable for someone's needs.
untimely: Specifically describes something happening at an unsuitable time.