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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of incompetent
Austin American Statesman, 9 July 2025
If Rudd is found incompetent again in September, it is expected that he will be committed indefinitely to a psychiatric hospital.
—Kevin Grasha, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
The fund has been the source of scandal in recent years, amid revelations that the Vatican’s secretariat of state mismanaged its holdings through bad investments, incompetent management and waste.
—Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2025
The defense has argued that others possibly killed O’Keefe inside that home and that the police were either too incompetent or corrupt to investigate that angle.
—Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 23 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for incompetent
Noun
James was ruled incompetent to stand trial in October 2024 and sent to an institution for rehabilitation and evaluation in early April.
—Austin American Statesman, 9 July 2025
If Rudd is found incompetent again in September, it is expected that he will be committed indefinitely to a psychiatric hospital.
—Kevin Grasha, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
The fund has been the source of scandal in recent years, amid revelations that the Vatican’s secretariat of state mismanaged its holdings through bad investments, incompetent management and waste.
—Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2025
The defense has argued that others possibly killed O’Keefe inside that home and that the police were either too incompetent or corrupt to investigate that angle.
—Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 23 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for incompetent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for incompetent
Adjective
-
Newcastle was eight games into the 2020-21 season with no wins to its name, its squad unfit and directionless.—
Harry De Cosemo,
Forbes.com,
7 July 2025
-
But the dreamscape is an airless place, unfit for permanent residence.—
Book Marks
July 3,
Literary Hub,
3 July 2025
Adjective
-
Here, Rodel shares how to make the unfitted kitchen trend your own, one statement-worthy piece at a time.—
Patricia Shannon,
Better Homes & Gardens,
6 May 2025
-
Mix Materials The beauty in the unfitted kitchen aesthetic is found in its collected look.—
Patricia Shannon,
Better Homes & Gardens,
6 May 2025
Adjective
-
For the eight minutes the Mets batted in the bottom of the eighth, Garrett was a shark incapable of pausing even for a second.—
Tim Britton,
New York Times,
5 July 2025
-
There have been countless occasions when he was asked to get another batter, another few outs, when his weary body was simply incapable of doing so.—
Dan Freedman,
Forbes.com,
3 July 2025
Noun
-
Developer Steven Ramos said the business would be a butcher shop, a bakery with coffee, and an ice cream counter.—
John Tuohy,
IndyStar,
14 July 2025
-
The market is just full of butcher shops, with the most ghastly whole pigs and halves of steers hanging from horrible hooks.—
John Updike,
New Yorker,
11 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Incompetent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incompetent. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share