incongruity
Americannoun
-
something incongruous
-
the state or quality of being incongruous
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of incongruity
From the Late Latin word incongruitās, dating back to 1525–35. See in- 3, congruity
Explanation
Incongruity means out of place — something that doesn't fit in its location or situation. The art show patrons couldn't help but chuckle at the incongruity of a toilet sitting in the middle of an exhibition of Renaissance paintings. An incongruity is very different from everything around it, to the point of being inappropriate to the situation. A cat at a dog's birthday party would be an incongruity, as would a pacifist at a meeting of the War Lovers' Society. Incongruity is the idea that something is incongruous, or inappropriate. A purple towel is an incongruity in an all black-and-white bathroom.
Vocabulary lists containing incongruity
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
This Week in Pop Culture: May 4–10, 2019
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Just Mercy
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
“Snake Men,” told with delightful humor and insight, takes readers on a journey through incongruity: amateur scientists, professional pique and the insatiable human drive to name everything, everywhere.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026
“That incongruity can cause stress in a relationship.”
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 18, 2026
Through tears, she noted the incongruity of the moment.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 16, 2025
The tool works through an algorithm which assesses incongruity.
From Science Daily ● Apr. 15, 2024
The incongruity of queuing to beg for food made her feel uncomfortable, blemished.
From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Technical strategists see incongruities like this as a sign that the index’s strength has been predicated, somewhat precariously, on the success of a minority of its stocks, making it more vulnerable to adverse developments.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 5, 2025
And when we point out incongruities or inefficiencies in these policies, we’re told: No, you’re inefficient and lazy.
From Slate ● Feb. 21, 2025
Committed fans can shrug off or even enjoy the incongruities fostered by corporate storytelling.
From New York Times ● Jan. 11, 2024
The incongruities in park guidelines and messaging stretch back to the post-town-hall banning of tripods from the prairie.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 4, 2023
I admit that I utterly failed to see the point of this picture; but now that I am aware of its meaning I understand its apparent incongruities.
From Authors and Writers Associated with Morristown With a Chapter on Historic Morristown by Julia Keese Colles
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.
