incommensurate
adjective
in·com·men·su·rate
ˌin-kə-ˈmen(t)-s(ə-)rət 
-ˈmen(t)-sh(ə-)rət
Examples of incommensurate in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
However, breakouts can and do happen — often when two incommensurate ideas meet each other.
—
Shadi Bartsch, The Mercury News, 3 Jan. 2025
Or, at least, incommensurate with being directly described without losing something of its essence or complexity.
—Dennis Zhou, The New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2024
The vocalizations of birds are fundamentally incommensurate with human ones.
—Rivka Galchen, The New Yorker, 14 Oct. 2024
Diasporic artists must navigate incommensurate signifying systems, occupying a borderline position that forces them to fuse avant-garde features with others of a popular or academic nature.
—Manuel Borja-Villel, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2024
Cities boom, then bust or stagnate, leaving public infrastructure that is incommensurate with present needs.
—Alec MacGillis, The New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2024
Quite simply, the current approach to climate cooperation is incommensurate with the gravity of the crisis.
—Jessica F. Green, Foreign Affairs, 12 Nov. 2021
How incommensurate with our small, breakable animal bodies — this awful, awesome notion, the infinite.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 12 Sep. 2023
Despite the complexity of these latter ideas, her use of diagrams and figures helps to reinforce their approachability—although in some cases their incommensurate simplicity feels unsatisfying.
—Amy Brady, Scientific American, 20 June 2023
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.
Shadi Bartsch, The Mercury News, 3 Jan. 2025
Or, at least, incommensurate with being directly described without losing something of its essence or complexity.
—Dennis Zhou, The New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2024
The vocalizations of birds are fundamentally incommensurate with human ones.
—Rivka Galchen, The New Yorker, 14 Oct. 2024
Diasporic artists must navigate incommensurate signifying systems, occupying a borderline position that forces them to fuse avant-garde features with others of a popular or academic nature.
—Manuel Borja-Villel, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2024
Cities boom, then bust or stagnate, leaving public infrastructure that is incommensurate with present needs.
—Alec MacGillis, The New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2024
Quite simply, the current approach to climate cooperation is incommensurate with the gravity of the crisis.
—Jessica F. Green, Foreign Affairs, 12 Nov. 2021
How incommensurate with our small, breakable animal bodies — this awful, awesome notion, the infinite.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 12 Sep. 2023
Despite the complexity of these latter ideas, her use of diagrams and figures helps to reinforce their approachability—although in some cases their incommensurate simplicity feels unsatisfying.
—Amy Brady, Scientific American, 20 June 2023
Cite this Entry
“Incommensurate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/incommensurate. Accessed 22 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
incommensurate
adjective
in·com·men·su·rate
ˌin-kə-ˈmen(t)s-(ə-)rət
-ˈmench-(ə-)rət
: not commensurate: as
a
: inadequate
funds incommensurate with need
b
: disproportionate
a confidence incommensurate with his ability
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share