incompetent

[in-kom-pi-tuhnt]

adjective

1. not competent; lacking qualification or ability; incapable.

   an incompetent candidate.

   Synonyms: unfit, inadequate, unqualified
   Antonyms: qualified, able

2. characterized by or showing incompetence.

   His incompetent acting ruined the play.

3. Law.

   1. being unable or legally unqualified to perform specified acts or to be held legally responsible for such acts.

   2. inadmissible, as evidence.

noun

1. an incompetent person; a mentally deficient person.

2. Law.,  a person lacking power to act with legal effectiveness.

incompetent

/ ɪnˈkɒmpɪtənt /

adjective

1. not possessing the necessary ability, skill, etc to do or carry out a task; incapable

2. marked by lack of ability, skill, etc

3. law not legally qualified

   an incompetent witness

4. (of rock strata, folds, etc) yielding readily to pressure so as to undergo structural deformation

noun

1. an incompetent person

Other Word Forms

• incompetently adverb
• incompetence noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of incompetent¹

First recorded in 1590–1600; from Late Latin incompetent- (stem of incompetēns ) “unsuitable.” See in- ³, competent

Synonym Study

See incapable.

Example Sentences

Rachel and Owen Dempsey, of Fazakerley, were described by a judge as "incompetent at best" when sentencing them for running an unlicensed dog sitting service, Liverpool City Council said.

From BBC

UGS has denied allegations that its security contractors also fired on civilians and that it put people seeking food in danger due to incompetent leadership.

From BBC

“I like my boys playing hard to get / And I like my men all incompetent,” she sings in the LP’s opener and lead single, “Manchild.”

From Los Angeles Times

They hired incompetents as surveyors, so don’t stand on the street and tell me where I can and can’t put my trash can, because the boundaries are rigged and I’m having them rewritten.

From Los Angeles Times

“When you have an autocrat in power, he can get away with appointing incompetent people over very important things,” he said.

From Salon

Related Words

• amateurish 
• helpless 
• inadequate 
• incapable 
• ineffectual 
• inefficient 
• inept 
• inexperienced 
• unqualified 
• unskilled 
• useless