as in unfit
lacking qualities (as knowledge, skill, or ability) required to do a job
an incompetent carpenter had built the deck, and the railings were loose already
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of incompetent
Jason D. Greenblatt, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Apr. 2025
Eleven former youth counselors have been arrested since the attorney general's office began investigating the facility in 2019, though charges against one were dropped, another was found incompetent to stand trial and a third died awaiting trial.
—CBS News, 22 Mar. 2025
The police department’s insufficient and incompetent investigation cannot stand.
—Jeff A. Chamer, Charlotte Observer, 8 Apr. 2025
After almost a year of being declared incompetent, her trial began in April 2023.
—Miguel Torres, USA Today, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for incompetent
Adjective
But the people tasked with executing it were dangerously incompetent.
—Jason D. Greenblatt, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Apr. 2025
Eleven former youth counselors have been arrested since the attorney general's office began investigating the facility in 2019, though charges against one were dropped, another was found incompetent to stand trial and a third died awaiting trial.
—CBS News, 22 Mar. 2025
The police department’s insufficient and incompetent investigation cannot stand.
—Jeff A. Chamer, Charlotte Observer, 8 Apr. 2025
After almost a year of being declared incompetent, her trial began in April 2023.
—Miguel Torres, USA Today, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for incompetent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for incompetent
Adjective
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Just like an organization being certain that other players are unfit for the harsh glare of intense games in April.—
Aaron Portzline,
New York Times,
14 Apr. 2025
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The injunction request stated the premises were unfit for occupancy and owners did not have a valid city business license.—
Samantha Moilanen,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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This definition also includes instance in which the victim is incapable of giving consent because of temporary or permanent mental or physical incapacity (include due to the influence of drugs or alcohol) or because of age.—
Baltimore Sun staff,
Baltimore Sun,
7 Apr. 2025
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Rats, for example, are incapable of vomiting, which is why rat poison works so well.—
Angela Haupt,
Time,
7 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The latter was my choice, a lively room that felt like an upscale butcher shop turned restaurant with as many locals as hotel guests.—
Everett Potter,
Forbes.com,
10 Apr. 2025
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What started as a butcher shop with a small kitchen quickly evolved into a full-fledged restaurant, offering dry-aged steaks, burgers, and handcrafted charcuterie.—
Ethan Stone,
USA Today,
7 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Incompetent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incompetent. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
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