inarticulate

UK: /ˌɪnɑː^rˈtɪkjʊlət/

US: /ˌɪnɑrˈtɪkjəlɪt/

US: (in′är tik′yə lit)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

in•ar•tic•u•late /ˌɪnɑrˈtɪkyəlɪt/   adj. 

1. lacking the ability to express oneself clearly:
   an inarticulate speaker.
2. unable to use words in speech:
   inarticulate with rage.
3. not uttered or pronounced to express meaning:
   a baby's inarticulate sounds.

in•ar•tic•u•late•ly, adv. 
in•ar•tic•u•late•ness, n. [uncountable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

in•ar•tic•u•late  (in′är tik′yə lit), adj. 

1. lacking the ability to express oneself, esp. in clear and effective speech:
   an inarticulate public speaker.
2. unable to use articulate speech:
   inarticulate with rage.
3. not articulate;
   not uttered or emitted with expressive or intelligible modulations:
   His mouth stuffed, he could utter only inarticulate sounds.
4. not fully expressed or expressible:
   a voice choked with inarticulate agony.
5. [Anat., Zool.] not jointed;
   having no articulation or joint.

• Late Latin inarticulātus. See in-³, articulate
• 1595–1605

in′ar•tic′u•late•ly, adv. 
in′ar•tic′u•late•ness, n. 
Synonyms

• 2. mute, dumb.