indelicate
/ɪnˈdɛlɪkət
/adjective
1Having or showing a lack of sensitive understanding or tact: forgive me asking an indelicate question, but how are you off for money?...
- Which, come to think of it, raises the indelicate question.
- Forgive me for the indelicate question, whose decision was it to go with cremation?
- And, precisely because of the ignorance we are trying to remedy, there is always the possibility that the question itself will prove indelicate or otherwise an occasion for trouble.
Synonyms
insensitive, tactless, undiplomatic, impolitic, indiscreet
2Slightly indecent: an earthy, often indelicate sense of humour...
- Those of you who are still unclear on the meaning behind the Life Lesson Of The Day are warned that the story of how I came to discover this Lesson is slightly indelicate.
- Tranmere played with a good deal more enthusiasm as the evening wore on, suggesting that Aldridge had expressed - presumably in an indelicate fashion - his sense of displeasure during the recess.
- And if you heard the folks from this feisty bit of terra firma, you'd know their accent, not to mention their vocabulary was indubitably indelicate if not incomprehensibly improper.
Synonyms
vulgar, coarse, rude, gross, crude, bawdy, racy, risqué, ribald, Rabelaisian, earthy, indecent, improper, indecorous, unseemly, unrefined, off colour, obscene, dirty, filthy, impure, smutty, lewd, salacious, raw, lascivious, licentious
informal blue, naughty, near the knuckle/bone, nudge-nudge, raunchy
British informal fruity, saucy
Derivatives
indelicately
/ adverb ...- There is certainly the potential for the text to descend into histrionics if handled indelicately, but happily, this ensemble rarely makes that mistake.
- That brings us to the subject of our poll tonight, and the question is phrased rather indelicately, but, nonetheless, it is the question.
- But in no case were these flouted too indelicately or ostentatiously.