as in unfit
lacking qualities (as knowledge, skill, or ability) required to do a job
an incompetent carpenter had built the deck, and the railings were loose already
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of incompetent
Stephen Smith, CBS News, 2 Feb. 2025
Sadly, these events exposed how deficient, inefficient, incompetent and incapable California’s government is.
—William Choslovsky, Orlando Sentinel, 25 Jan. 2025
The newest forever prisoner is one of the original 9/11 defendants, Ramzi bin al-Shibh; in September 2023, he was declared mentally incompetent to stand trial.
—Lisa Hajjar, The Conversation, 24 Jan. 2025
Andrew Jay Cohen’s incompetent direction — the movie doesn’t even build up to jokes, let alone follow them through — leads to an airless, desperate comedy in which every cast member is stranded.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 4 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for incompetent
Adjective
Authorities said Stratton was deemed incompetent to stand trial in that case, and he has not been charged in connection with DeLisa's murder.
—Stephen Smith, CBS News, 2 Feb. 2025
Sadly, these events exposed how deficient, inefficient, incompetent and incapable California’s government is.
—William Choslovsky, Orlando Sentinel, 25 Jan. 2025
The newest forever prisoner is one of the original 9/11 defendants, Ramzi bin al-Shibh; in September 2023, he was declared mentally incompetent to stand trial.
—Lisa Hajjar, The Conversation, 24 Jan. 2025
Andrew Jay Cohen’s incompetent direction — the movie doesn’t even build up to jokes, let alone follow them through — leads to an airless, desperate comedy in which every cast member is stranded.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 4 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for incompetent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for incompetent
Adjective
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Kash Patel is set to become the latest of President Donald Trump‘s unfit and unqualified loyalists confirmed for a leadership role in Washington, with Senate Republicans ready and willing to install the QAnon promoter and 2020 election denier as the next director of the FBI.—
Miles Klee,
Rolling Stone,
19 Feb. 2025
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Her letter, which was followed up by a social media post, was withering in making the case that Kennedy was unfit for the role and personal in detailing his struggles with drug addiction.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
28 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Unsurprisingly, our hero is also incapable of speaking or thinking about subjects other than his own.—
Graham Hillard,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
21 Feb. 2025
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However, a hard truth for Elon Musk to face may be that X users are largely incapable of discerning facts without relying on traditional fact-checking organizations that Musk disagrees should be the sole arbiters of truth online.—
Ashley Belanger,
Ars Technica,
21 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Hunter, fisherman, chef and award-winning author Jesse Griffiths and Tamara Mayfield opened Dai Due restaurant and butcher shop in 2014 as an outgrowth of their popular supper club and farmers market stand, and the seasonal and local ethos of a farmers market is the anchor of this rustic beauty.—
USA TODAY,
USA TODAY,
13 Feb. 2025
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The family-friendly market will be opening after the team expands to Cary with a butcher and wine bar experience.—
CharlotteFive staff,
Charlotte Observer,
7 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Incompetent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incompetent. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.
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