incongruous
Americanadjective
-
out of keeping or place; inappropriate; unbecoming.
an incongruous effect; incongruous behavior.
- Synonyms:
- absurd, ludicrous, ridiculous, unsuitable, discrepant
- Antonyms:
- appropriate, becoming
-
not harmonious in character; inconsonant; lacking harmony of parts.
an incongruous mixture of architectural styles.
- Synonyms:
- discordant, inharmonious
- Antonyms:
- consonant
-
inconsistent.
actions that were incongruous with their professed principles.
- Synonyms:
- contradictory, contrary
- Antonyms:
- consistent
adjective
-
incompatible with (what is suitable); inappropriate
-
containing disparate or discordant elements or parts
Related Words
See inconsistent.
Other Word Forms
- incongruously adverb
- incongruousness noun
Etymology
Origin of incongruous
First recorded in 1605–15, incongruous is from the Latin word incongruus “inconsistent.” See in- 3, congruous
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Along steep and narrow trails, a few rustic taverns for wine guzzling seem incongruous in the midst of all of the ruggedness.
It is a somewhat incongruous location for a visit by Pope Leo who, like Francis, has prioritised the poor and marginalised.
From Barron's
Its pale blue packaging features snowy landscapes, which appear incongruous compared to the jungle surrounding the building.
From Barron's
It seems completely incongruous a club the size of Rangers, its life spent under a gigantic microscope, could possibly move quietly into contention, but that's the reality.
From BBC
Meanwhile, by the late 1960s, his artist friends had embraced the Anti-Form movement, in which cheap and often unattractive materials were brought together in incongruous combinations.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
