tactless

adjective

ˈtakt-ləs How to pronounce tactless (audio)
Definition of tactlessnext
as in inappropriate
showing poor judgment especially in personal relationships or social situations made a tactless remark about how the apartment had that "lived-in" look

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of tactless Ultimately, the film hammers home that this klutzy, tactless new man in town is first and foremost a voyeur — which is where most of the taboo shattering comes in. — Miriam Balanescu, IndieWire, 17 May 2025 On the dark side, Mercury in Sagittarius can be overly blunt and tactless in communication. — Valerie Mesa, People.com, 28 Feb. 2025 And his most tactless friend, Justin, the volelike fellow with the baseball-cap addiction, would ask, Whatever happened to that other Laura? — Hannah Gold, Harper's Magazine, 19 Feb. 2025 The interviews were jocular, an approach that seemed tactless, given the film’s subject matter. — Doreen St. Félix, The New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for tactless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tactless
  1. inappropriate
  2. indelicate
  3. careless
  4. improper
  5. injudicious
  6. indiscreet
  7. stupid
  8. imprudent
Adjective
  • Justice Department attorneys have argued that a restraining order would be inappropriate and that the legal challenge was premature, as federal agencies had yet to issue public guidance on how the president's directive would be implemented.
    — Kristina Cooke, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The morality police, which are often accused of extreme policies, recently announced a statewide ban in Sokoto on the use of DJs at events, as well as inappropriate haircuts, extravagant bridal gifts and playing music on public transport.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of inappropriate
Adjective
  • Martin-Cotten’s is an indelicate balance between out and out primal furies, parsed with flashes of vulnerability that seem as deeply felt as Martha’s self-loathing.
    — Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 13 Feb. 2026
  • Clutch effort is Herculean, and shifting is indelicate but immensely satisfying.
    — Robert Ross, Robb Report, 19 Dec. 2025
Definition of indelicate
Adjective
  • As part of the plea agreement, the prosecution amended the first charge to reckless driving, second offense, and the second charge to a careless driving citation.
    — Emily Shapiro, ABC News, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Steele accepted the reduced charge, along with a separate careless-driving citation, and suspended the athlete’s driver’s license for five years.
    — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of careless
Adjective
  • The tactic is especially prevalent among the department’s elite Metropolitan Division and anti-gang units, several of which have come under investigation in recent years for failing to document the stops and improper searches.
    — Hailey Wang, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Green curry, red curry and peanut sauce had to be thrown out as they were improperly stored and held at improper temperatures.
    — Joseph Hernandez August 31, Kansas City Star, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of improper
Adjective
  • Let’s finish up by circling back to the beginning, when six injudicious justices ignored an eternal political truth.
    — Gerald Scorse, New York Daily News, 7 Aug. 2026
  • And again, many of the reforms backfired or proved injudicious, but some of them remain powerful to this day.
    — David Frum, The Atlantic, 1 July 2026
Definition of injudicious
Adjective
  • Some are scholarly, some deliciously indiscreet, all are perceptive in one way or another, and one plunges wholesale into obsession.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Smaller seats, less legroom, meals on a budget, and now someone whispering indiscreet sweet nothings to their lover in my ear.
    — Charlie Hobbs, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 May 2026
Definition of indiscreet
Adjective
  • Far too much coverage of declining trust in science — particularly the anti-vaccine movement — is predicated on the assumption that its adherents are either stupid or crazy.
    — Rick Berke, STAT, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The Dodge Durango Hellcat is the most accessible way to go stupid-fast in a three-row family car thanks to the Escalade V‘s high price tag.
    — Byron Hurd, The Drive, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of stupid
Adjective
  • The itinerants were all a bit peculiar, capable of making imprudent choices.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 July 2026
  • And this is Minsky’s point, that speculative excesses during euphoric, transformative periods result in imprudent financing, fragility, and instability.
    — Hersh Shefrin, Forbes.com, 4 June 2026
Definition of imprudent

Browse Nearby Words

tactile
tactless
tactlessly
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tactless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tactless. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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