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
  • The Portland Trail Blazers fired new play-by-play television broadcaster Braiden Bell on Thursday when past inappropriate social media posts resurfaced just hours after the team announced his hiring.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Sheriff’s officials said, investigators as of Thursday had not uncovered evidence indicating Chen had inappropriate physical contact with a child.
    — Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 2 Oct. 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
  • She was involved in a bankruptcy case in 2013, arrested on suspicion of careless driving in 2021, and arrested in 2023 on suspicion of domestic violence and battery.
    — Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Digger follows greedy, careless Digger as his company inadvertently catalyzes a disaster with global repercussions—then, whoopsie, sets off another for good measure.
    — Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of careless
Adjective
  • Electrical issues — like faulty wiring, overloaded power strips, and improper extension cord usage — are the leading cause of fatal fires so far this year.
    — Lillian Bonsignore, New York Daily News, 4 Oct. 2026
  • The action comes as Livingston locals raised concerns about the film’s impact on local business — and notably the city’s sole food bank — as well as improper notification about hazardous stunts.
    — Payton Turkeltaub, Variety, 4 Oct. 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
  • Trump’s super intelligence rebrand can ultimately be read in a couple ways, though arguably neither are particularly nuanced or incisive — just further indicative of the daily deluge of stupid.
    — Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Once upon a time, the idea that the world was growing stupider was mostly confined to the realm of dyspeptic reactionary polemic.
    — James Marriott, Washington Post, 7 Oct. 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
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Cite this Entry

“Tactless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tactless. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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