inarticulate
/ˌɪnɑːˈtɪkjələt/ (bre, ipa) · [ˌɪnɑrtˈɪkjələt] /ˌɪnɑːrˈtɪkjələt/ (ame, ipa) · [ˌɪnɑrtˈɪkjələt] /ˌi-(ˌ)när-ˈti-kyə-lət/ (ame, mw)
inarticulate — adjective
- inarticulatepositive
- more inarticulatecomparative
- most inarticulatesuperlative
1. If you describe a person as inarticulate, they find it hard to put their thought
If you describe a person as inarticulate, they find it hard to put their thoughts or feelings into clear words, especially when they feel nervous, shy, or emotional. If language, speech, or writing is inarticulate, the words are not formed clearly and the meaning is difficult to follow.
Théo felt so nervous during the job interview that he became completely inarticulate.
be + inarticulate describing a temporary state under pressure
Daniel's inarticulate essay confused the teacher, who could not understand his main point.
inarticulate + noun describing unclear writing
When the journalist asked about the accident, Ayesha gave only an inarticulate mumble.
The shy teenager was painfully inarticulate in class and avoided raising his hand.
Kenji's apology was so inarticulate that his friend had no idea what he meant.
- tongue-tied
more informal; specifically implies being temporarily unable to speak from shyness or surprise
- incoherent
focuses on the speech being disordered or jumping between ideas, often from shock or confusion
- unclear
broader term that can describe any kind of communication that is hard to understand
- articulate
direct opposite — able to express ideas clearly and fluently
- eloquent
describes someone who speaks with fluency, force, and persuasiveness
文法句型
be + inarticulate
remain + inarticulate
inarticulate + noun
用法筆記
This word can describe either the person who struggles to speak clearly or the unclear speech or writing itself. When used of a person, it almost always implies nervousness, shyness, or strong emotion — not a permanent inability to speak. For the opposite meaning, use 'articulate'.