incompetence
Americannoun
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the quality or condition of being incompetent; lack of ability.
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Law. the condition of lacking power to act with legal effectiveness.
Etymology
Origin of incompetence
First recorded in 1655–65; from French incompétence (equivalent to in- negative prefix + compétence); variant of earlier incompetency; see origin at incompetent; see also -cy, -ence, -ency
Explanation
Can't finish a simple task? Having a hard time figuring something out? Lack the ability to get things done? Then you might be suffering from incompetence. Have you ever noticed how bad a lot of people are at their jobs, even though they do them every day? Or how often famous people screw things up, even very important things? Then you've already noticed that incompetence is a very common thing. Incompetence is a word for people and things that are ineffective, shoddy, or just terrible at what they're supposed to do. Incompetence is the opposite of excellence.
Vocabulary lists containing incompetence
Speak
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Franklin D. Roosevelt's First Inaugural Address (March 4, 1933), List 1
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Vocabulary Heard at the 2016 Republican National Convention
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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.
Never attribute to malice what you can attribute to carelessness or incompetence.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 10, 2026
"Nothing, absolutely nothing, has been left to chance, particularly when it comes to the movement of this work," French Culture Minister Catherine Pegard said in June, calling some "insinuations of incompetence" particularly "unfair".
From Barron's ● Jul. 9, 2026
Alfonsi’s parting words to the Columbia Journalism Review perfectly summarized the nightmare unfolding at CBS: “The arrogance, cruelty, and incompetence is stunning.”
From Salon ● Jun. 1, 2026
After watching events in Washington over the past week, I have an inkling of how Mr. Stengel felt—dismay and sheer wonder at the team’s incompetence.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 26, 2026
I was glad my incompetence in the romance department gave her a little break from her heartache.
From "Here to Stay" by Sara Farizan
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.
