Synonyms
Examples of incompetence in a Sentence
Because of his incompetence, we won't make our deadline.
She was fired for gross incompetence.
Recent Examples on the Web
The history of medicine is too littered with incompetence and immorality to believe that doctors have always been worthy of this status.
—
Dhruv Khullar, The New Yorker, 12 Dec. 2024
In a pre-dawn online news conference, an angry Sara Duterte accused Mr. Marcos of incompetence as a president and of being a liar, along with his wife and the House speaker in expletives-laden remarks.
—Jim Gomez, The Christian Science Monitor, 25 Nov. 2024
Not to mention that incompetence carries its own toll for America.
—Matt Robison, Newsweek, 20 Nov. 2024
Republican politicians from Ron DeSantis to President-elect Donald Trump have used San Francisco as a byword for Democratic incompetence on crime and disorder.
—Karissa Waddick, USA TODAY, 8 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for incompetence 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Dhruv Khullar, The New Yorker, 12 Dec. 2024
In a pre-dawn online news conference, an angry Sara Duterte accused Mr. Marcos of incompetence as a president and of being a liar, along with his wife and the House speaker in expletives-laden remarks.
—Jim Gomez, The Christian Science Monitor, 25 Nov. 2024
Not to mention that incompetence carries its own toll for America.
—Matt Robison, Newsweek, 20 Nov. 2024
Republican politicians from Ron DeSantis to President-elect Donald Trump have used San Francisco as a byword for Democratic incompetence on crime and disorder.
—Karissa Waddick, USA TODAY, 8 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for incompetence
Articles Related to incompetence
Dictionary Entries Near incompetence
Cite this Entry
“Incompetence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/incompetence. Accessed 27 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
incompetence
noun
in·com·pe·tence
(ˈ)in-ˈkäm-pət-ən(t)s 
: the quality, state, or fact of being incompetent
Medical Definition
incompetence
noun
in·com·pe·tence
(ˈ)in-ˈkäm-pət-ən(t)s
1
: lack of legal qualification
2
: inability of an organ or part to perform its function adequately
incompetence of an aortic valve
Legal Definition
incompetence
noun
in·com·pe·tence
in-ˈkäm-pə-təns
: the state or fact of being incompetent compare competency
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share