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definitions

incompetent

[ in-kom-pi-tuhnt ]
/ ɪnˈkɒm pɪ tənt /
||
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR incompetent ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

not competent; lacking qualification or ability; incapable: an incompetent candidate.
characterized by or showing incompetence: His incompetent acting ruined the play.
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

an incompetent person; a mentally deficient person.
Law. a person lacking power to act with legal effectiveness.

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RELATED WORDS

inefficient, incapable, inadequate, inept, unskilled, ineffectual, useless, unqualified, helpless, amateurish, inexperienced, raw, amateur, awkward, bungling, bush-league, clumsy, ineligible, inexpert, insufficient

Nearby words

  1. incomparably,
  2. incompatibility,
  3. incompatible,
  4. incompetence,
  5. incompetency,
  6. incomplete,
  7. incomplete abortion,
  8. incomplete antibody,
  9. incomplete antigen,
  10. incomplete dominance

Origin of incompetent

1590–1600; < Late Latin incompetent- (stem of incompetēns) unsuitable. See in-3, competent
ANTONYMS FOR incompetent
1. able, qualified.
SEE MORE ANTONYMS FOR incompetent ON THESAURUS.COM
Related formsin·com·pe·tent·ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for incompetent

British Dictionary definitions for incompetent

incompetent

/ (ɪnˈkɒmpɪtənt) /

adjective

not possessing the necessary ability, skill, etc to do or carry out a task; incapable
marked by lack of ability, skill, etc
law not legally qualifiedan incompetent witness
(of rock strata, folds, etc) yielding readily to pressure so as to undergo structural deformation

noun

an incompetent person
Derived Formsincompetence or incompetency, nounincompetently, adverb
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for incompetent

incompetent

adj.

1610s, "insufficient," from French incompétent, from Late Latin incompetentem (nominative incompetens) "insufficient," from in- "not" (see in- (1)) + Latin competentem (see competent). Sense of "lacking qualification or ability" first recorded 1630s. The noun meaning "incompetent person" is from 1866. Related: Incompetently.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Medicine definitions for incompetent

incompetent

[ ĭn-kŏm′pĭ-tənt ]

adj.

Inadequate for or unsuited to a particular purpose or application.
Incapable of proper functioning.
Not qualified in legal terms.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.