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incompetent

in·com·pe·tent
I i

Transcription

    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • UK Pronunciation
    • UK IPA
    • [in-kom-pi-tuh nt]
    • /ɪnˈkɒm pɪ tənt/
    • /ɪnˈkɒm.pɪ.tənt/
    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • [in-kom-pi-tuh nt]
    • /ɪnˈkɒm pɪ tənt/

Definitions of incompetent word

  • adjective incompetent not competent; lacking qualification or ability; incapable: an incompetent candidate. 1
  • adjective incompetent characterized by or showing incompetence: His incompetent acting ruined the play. 1
  • adjective incompetent Law. being unable or legally unqualified to perform specified acts or to be held legally responsible for such acts. inadmissible, as evidence. 1
  • noun incompetent an incompetent person; a mentally deficient person. 1
  • noun incompetent Law. a person lacking power to act with legal effectiveness. 1
  • noun incompetent Not having or showing the necessary skills to do something successfully. 1

Information block about the term

Origin of incompetent

First appearance:

before 1590
One of the 37% oldest English words
1590-1600; < Late Latin incompetent- (stem of incompetēns) unsuitable. See in-3, competent

Historical Comparancy

Parts of speech for Incompetent

noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation

incompetent popularity

A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 74% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".

incompetent usage trend in Literature

This diagram is provided by Google Ngram Viewer

Synonyms for incompetent

adj incompetent

  • inefficient — not efficient; unable to effect or achieve the desired result with reasonable economy of means.
  • incapable — not capable.
  • inadequate — not adequate or sufficient; inept or unsuitable.
  • inept — without skill or aptitude for a particular task or assignment; maladroit: He is inept at mechanical tasks. She is inept at dealing with people.
  • unskilled — of or relating to workers who lack technical training or skill.

noun incompetent

  • ne'er-do-well — an idle, worthless person; a person who is ineffectual, unsuccessful, or completely lacking in merit; good-for-nothing.
  • duffer — Informal. a plodding, clumsy, incompetent person. a person inept or inexperienced at a specific sport, as golf.
  • has-been — a person or thing that is no longer effective, successful, popular, etc.
  • defaulter — A defaulter is someone who does not do something that they are legally supposed to do, such as make a payment at a particular time, or appear in a court of law.
  • featherbrain — a foolish or giddy person; scatterbrain.

adjective incompetent

  • hopeless — providing no hope; beyond optimism or hope; desperate: a hopeless case of cancer.
  • unapt — not appropriate; unfit; unsuitable: an unapt answer.
  • unable — lacking the necessary power, competence, etc., to accomplish some specified act: He was unable to swim.
  • disqualified — Simple past tense and past participle of disqualify.

Antonyms for incompetent

adj incompetent

  • capable — If a person or thing is capable of doing something, they have the ability to do it.
  • competent — Someone who is competent is efficient and effective.
  • useful — being of use or service; serving some purpose; advantageous, helpful, or of good effect: a useful member of society.
  • skilled — having skill; trained or experienced in work that requires skill.
  • adept — Someone who is adept at something can do it skilfully.

adjective incompetent

  • expert — A person who has a comprehensive and authoritative knowledge of or skill in a particular area.
  • experienced — Having knowledge or skill in a particular field, especially a profession or job, gained over a period of time.

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See also

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