Synonyms
Examples of incompetence in a Sentence
Because of his incompetence, we won't make our deadline.
She was fired for gross incompetence.
Recent Examples on the Web
There will also, no doubt, be a search for efficiency savings, and efforts to root out what Mr. Trump has called incompetence and corruption.
—
Ned Temko, The Christian Science Monitor, 13 Feb. 2025
Trump’s approval rating never surpassed 50 percent during his first term, and a combination of incompetence, overreach, unpopular policies, and partisan polarization will likely limit his support during his second.
—Steven Levitsky, Foreign Affairs, 11 Feb. 2025
While Gutierrez-Reed was convicted, the case against Baldwin was eventually dropped due to incompetence by the local district attorney’s office in New Mexico.
—Lynette Rice, Deadline, 6 Feb. 2025
Trump and his conservative allies alleged that the network had edited the answer to mask her incompetence in an act of partisan bias.
—David Folkenflik, NPR, 6 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for incompetence 
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Ned Temko, The Christian Science Monitor, 13 Feb. 2025
Trump’s approval rating never surpassed 50 percent during his first term, and a combination of incompetence, overreach, unpopular policies, and partisan polarization will likely limit his support during his second.
—Steven Levitsky, Foreign Affairs, 11 Feb. 2025
While Gutierrez-Reed was convicted, the case against Baldwin was eventually dropped due to incompetence by the local district attorney’s office in New Mexico.
—Lynette Rice, Deadline, 6 Feb. 2025
Trump and his conservative allies alleged that the network had edited the answer to mask her incompetence in an act of partisan bias.
—David Folkenflik, NPR, 6 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for incompetence
Articles Related to incompetence
Dictionary Entries Near incompetence
Cite this Entry
“Incompetence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/incompetence. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
incompetence
noun
in·com·pe·tence
(ˈ)in-ˈkäm-pət-ən(t)s 
: the quality, state, or fact of being incompetent
Medical Definition
incompetence
noun
in·com·pe·tence
(ˈ)in-ˈkäm-pət-ən(t)s
1
: lack of legal qualification
2
: inability of an organ or part to perform its function adequately
incompetence of an aortic valve
Legal Definition
incompetence
noun
in·com·pe·tence
in-ˈkäm-pə-təns
: the state or fact of being incompetent compare competency
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