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Synonyms

incomprehension

American  
[in-kom-pri-hen-shuhn, in-kom-] / ˌɪn kɒm prɪˈhɛn ʃən, ɪnˌkɒm- /

noun

  1. lack of comprehension or understanding.

    The audience listened politely but with incomprehension.


incomprehension British  
/ ɪnˌkɒm-, ˌɪnkɒmprɪˈhɛnʃən /

noun

  1. inability or failure to comprehend; lack of understanding

"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

Etymology

Origin of incomprehension

First recorded in 1595–1605; in- 3 + comprehension

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.

See Examples For:

Like the high-Modernist works of William Faulkner, “Call It Sleep” was initially met with incomprehension; a revival decades later established it as a rightful classic of the Jewish-American experience.

From The Wall Street Journal Jun. 19, 2026

Yes, in some quarters, there is total incomprehension at the idea of replacing a landslide-winning leader, and fury at Sarwar's intervention.

From BBC Feb. 10, 2026

Puthli’s life embodies pop music in the post-colonial world, with all its promise and incomprehension.

From Los Angeles Times May 30, 2024

Like the peevish alien Roger from American Dad, Sam’s general attitude toward the human world in which he finds himself is equal parts incomprehension and condescension.

From Slate Oct. 5, 2023

He lay for a moment, blinking in owlish incomprehension at the light; then suddenly remembered—everything.

From "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley

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