inclement
/in'klemənt/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- (Of weather or climate) Severe, stormy, or unpleasant: Characterized by harsh, unpleasant, or stormy conditions, often involving cold, rain, wind, or snow.
- (Of a person or their behavior) Harsh, unmerciful, or severe: Showing no leniency, mercy, or kindness; stern and unforgiving.
Usage and Examples
- Describing Weather:
- The inclement weather forced the cancellation of the outdoor concert.
- Hikers should be prepared for inclement conditions in the mountains.
- Describing a Person or Behavior:
- The inclement ruler showed no mercy to his opponents.
- Her inclement criticism left him feeling demoralized.
Advanced Usage and Nuances
- The term is formal and is most commonly used in written English or formal speech.
- When describing weather, it often implies conditions that are not only bad but also potentially dangerous or disruptive.
- When describing a person, it suggests a cold, unforgiving severity, often in a position of judgment or authority.
Variants and Related Words
- Inclemency (noun): The quality or state of being inclement.
- The inclemency of the winter kept everyone indoors.
- The inclemency of his judgment was widely criticized.
Synonyms
- For Weather: Stormy, harsh, severe, rough, foul, bleak, nasty.
- For Behavior/Persons: Merciless, unrelenting, harsh, stern, ruthless, pitiless.
Antonyms
- For Weather: Clement, mild, calm, fine, pleasant, balmy.
- For Behavior/Persons: Merciful, lenient, compassionate, gentle, forgiving.
Related Phrases and Idioms
- Inclement conditions: A standard phrase used in official announcements (e.g., travel, event planning) to refer to bad weather.
- The construction work was delayed due to inclement conditions.
- Face inclemency: To endure harsh conditions or treatment.
- The pioneers faced the inclemency of both the climate and hostile tribes.
Adjective
- used of persons or behavior; showing no clemency or mercy
- the harsh sentence of an inclement judge
- (of weather or climate) severe