incompetence

Also in·com·pe·ten·cy

[in-kom-pi-tuhns]

noun

1. the quality or condition of being incompetent; lack of ability.

2. Law.,  the condition of lacking power to act with legal effectiveness.

Word History and Origins

Origin of incompetence¹

First recorded in 1655–65; from French incompétence (equivalent to in- negative prefix + compétence); variant of earlier incompetency; incompetent; -cy, -ence, -ency

Example Sentences

It’s not the disinformation he and allies may find hard to admit, it’s the incompetence—the BBC-like incompetence.

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Here was the mirror image of the same incompetence Meredith Whitney was making her name pointing out.

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Under the California Probate Code, the most common reasons include breach of trust, insolvency, unfitness and incompetence, hostility or deadlock, excessive and/or disqualification where the trustee becomes legally barred from serving.

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This mixture of vagueness and sheer incompetence is the most marked characteristic of modern English prose, and especially of any kind of political writing.

Read more on Salon

He’ll focus first on city services such as garbage collection, knowing he can lose it all if he shows incompetence on the basics.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• inability 
• ineptitude 
• inexperience