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
Throughout history, in the United States and elsewhere, the imposition of political control on a civil service has been a recipe for incompetence and anti-democratic abuse.
—
Zack Beauchamp, Vox, 1 Nov. 2024
Eastwood’s story runs on the bedrock of the unimpeachable, confident that there is a definite truth to be discovered about an event such as the killing of Kendall and that only malevolence or incompetence could prevent its discovery.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 30 Oct. 2024
The Lebanese government, whether out of incompetence, negligence, or malice, never disarmed Hezbollah within its borders following the resolution’s approval.
—Timothy Nerozzi, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 26 Oct. 2024
Over the coming days, the owners of Four Seasons Total Landscaping did their patriotic duty and cashed in on their temporary notoriety, selling souvenirs to commemorate the fiasco; to Trump’s detractors, the debacle epitomized the clownish incompetence that had defined his presidency.
—Meredith Blake, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for incompetence 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Zack Beauchamp, Vox, 1 Nov. 2024
Eastwood’s story runs on the bedrock of the unimpeachable, confident that there is a definite truth to be discovered about an event such as the killing of Kendall and that only malevolence or incompetence could prevent its discovery.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 30 Oct. 2024
The Lebanese government, whether out of incompetence, negligence, or malice, never disarmed Hezbollah within its borders following the resolution’s approval.
—Timothy Nerozzi, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 26 Oct. 2024
Over the coming days, the owners of Four Seasons Total Landscaping did their patriotic duty and cashed in on their temporary notoriety, selling souvenirs to commemorate the fiasco; to Trump’s detractors, the debacle epitomized the clownish incompetence that had defined his presidency.
—Meredith Blake, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2024
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 2 Dec. 2024.
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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share