incongruent

[in-kong-groo-uhnt, in-kuhn-groo-, -kuhng-]

adjective

1. not accordant or in agreement; incongruous.

   All the horrible things she said about him turned out to be incongruent with the man we came to know and trust.

   Synonyms: discordant, inharmonious
   Antonyms: consonant

2. Chemistry.,  (of a substance or compound) undergoing a change or changes in composition when undergoing a reaction, as with incongruent melting.

Other Word Forms

• incongruence noun
• incongruently adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of incongruent¹

First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin incongruent- (stem of incongruēns ) “inconsistent”; in- ³, congruent

Example Sentences

Her nitpicking boss chastises her for not overloading her uniform with incongruent buttons, or “flair,” insisting she needs to “express herself.”

From Salon

"To me, there is a mind-blowing gap between the knowledge and worries of scientists and the opinions and aims of decision makers, i.e. an incongruent relationship between knowledge and political realities," Andersen-Ranberg told Salon.

From Salon

Such a conclusion is incongruent with what history tells us about such dangerous leaders.

From Salon

“The pieces might be visually incongruent but there is this underlying connection to nature,” Mr. Chen said.

From New York Times

“I honestly wish my life was as wild as it has been portrayed !!!,” Spears wrote Monday on Instagram, sharing incongruent footage of herself on horseback on what appeared to be a ranch.

From Los Angeles Times