Inopportune means happening at an awkward, inconvenient, or badly timed moment. When something is inopportune, it arrives at exactly the wrong time, making a situation more difficult or uncomfortable than it needs to be.

Picture giving an important presentation when you suddenly get the hiccups, or your mom calling you to do chores just as you sit down to watch your favorite show. An inopportune phone call might interrupt a serious conversation. An inopportune rainstorm could drench everyone right before an outdoor celebration begins.

The opposite would be opportune, meaning well-timed or convenient. If you've been hoping to talk to your teacher about extra credit, catching her alone after class with time to spare would be an opportune moment. Running into her in a crowded hallway between classes while she's rushing to a meeting would be inopportune.

Sometimes inopportune moments just happen through bad luck, like when a fire drill interrupts your math test. Other times, people create inopportune situations by showing poor judgment about timing, like telling a joke during a solemn ceremony.