infelicities
Unfortunate word choices
Infelicities are instances of awkwardness or inappropriateness, especially in expression or style.
A writer's infelicities might be clumsy phrases or poor word choices: The editor flagged several infelicities in the manuscript.
The word carries a mild, somewhat literary tone—a genteel way of noting that something is off without calling it a mistake.
Unintentional deviations from correctness
- oversightsFailures to notice
- mistakesUnintended wrong actions
- miscalculationsErrors in computation
- misjudgmentsIncorrect assessments or evaluations
inaccuracies · omissions · misreadings · misconstructions · misinterpretations · misapprehensions · slips · failures
Social ineptitude
- ineleganceLack of polish
- maladroitnessLack of skill or coordination
- tactlessnessAbsence of social sensitivity
- ungainlinessLack of physical grace
clumsiness · gracelessness · ham-handedness · heavy-handedness · indelicacy · ungracefulness · cloddishness · boorishness
Clumsy social error
- faux pasSocial misstep or indiscretion
- slip-upSmall unintended error
- flubClumsy error
- blooperEmbarrassing recorded mistake
howler · snafu · botch · fumble · bungle · misstep · miscue · goof
Grammatical or social blunder
- barbarismSavage, uncivilized behavior
- cacophonyHarsh, clashing sounds
- clunkerWorn-out old car
- awkward phrasingInelegant language construction
mixed metaphor · malapropism · grammatical error · purple prose · redundancy · tautology · pleonasm
Not right for purpose
- incongruityLack of harmony
- improprietyUnsuitable or inappropriate behavior
- unfitnessLack of suitability
- wrongnessState of being incorrect
inaptness · inapplicability · discordance · jarring · mismatch · dissonance · incongruousness · misnomer
errors
Unintentional deviations from correctness
- oversightsFailures to notice
- mistakesUnintended wrong actions
- miscalculationsErrors in computation
misjudgments · inaccuracies · omissions · misreadings · misconstructions · misinterpretations · misapprehensions · slips · failures · misunderstandings
gaucheness
Social ineptitude
- ineleganceLack of polish
- maladroitnessLack of skill or coordination
- tactlessnessAbsence of social sensitivity
ungainliness · clumsiness · gracelessness · ham-handedness · heavy-handedness · indelicacy · ungracefulness · cloddishness · boorishness · loutishness
gaffe
Clumsy social error
blooper · howler · snafu · botch · fumble · bungle · misstep · miscue · goof · screw-up
solecism
Grammatical or social blunder
awkward phrasing · mixed metaphor · malapropism · grammatical error · purple prose · redundancy · tautology · pleonasm
unsuitability
Not right for purpose
- incongruityLack of harmony
- improprietyUnsuitable or inappropriate behavior
- unfitnessLack of suitability
wrongness · inaptness · inapplicability · discordance · jarring · mismatch · dissonance · incongruousness · misnomer
infelicitiesfelicities
Pleasing qualities or aptnesses
elegances · bon mots · rhetorical flourishes · witticisms · choice words
infelicitiesfelicities
Pleasing qualities or aptnesses
blessings · happinesses · joys · strokes of luck · prosperities
felicitous, infelicitous, felicitations, felicitation, infelicity, felicitously, felicitousness