incompatible

adjective

in·com·pat·i·ble | \ ˌin-kəm-ˈpa-tə-bəl

Definition of incompatible

1 : incapable of being held by one person at one time —used of offices that make conflicting demands on the holder

2 : not compatible: such as

a : incapable of association or harmonious coexistence incompatible colors

b : unsuitable for use together because of undesirable chemical or physiological effects incompatible drugs

c : not both true incompatible propositions

d : incapable of blending into a stable homogeneous mixture

Other Words from incompatible Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Learn More about incompatible

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Examples of incompatible in a Sentence

This printer is incompatible with some PCs. the committee's incompatible goals—develop new projects and cut costs—meant that they got very little accomplished

Recent Examples on the Web

The council could accept Salim’s project or stand by the commission’s ruling, which cited concerns with vehicle circulation and said the development would be incompatible with adjacent buildings. — Priscella Vega, Daily Pilot, "Huntington Beach council to review previously denied Ellis Avenue condo development," 16 Aug. 2019 The United States has strenuously opposed Turkey’s purchase of the S-400 system, declaring it incompatible with NATO systems, and is expected to announce sanctions against Turkey as early as this week. — New York Times, "Turkey’s Erdogan Goes His Own Way as Distrust With U.S. Grows," 16 July 2019 Turkey, despite the S-400 being incompatible with NATO’s defense protocols, is standing firm and refusing to cancel the sale. — Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, "Turkey Has Its Own High-Tech Fighter Jet in the Works," 19 June 2019 The solution to your problem is to separate your two, incompatible activities: Go out on even-numbered days, and enjoy your unusual wines at home on odd days. — Judith Martin, Washington Post, "Miss Manners: Wine snobs don’t want to share," 24 July 2019 The solution to your problem is to separate your two, incompatible activities: Go out on even-numbered days, and enjoy your unusual wines at home on odd days. — Judith Martin, The Mercury News, "Miss Manners: These moochers think they’re entitled to our pricey wine," 24 July 2019 Certain ethnic and religious groups – in particular Muslims – are typically singled out as being culturally incompatible with the lives of majority groups in Western countries and thus a particular threat. — Jacob Davey, Time, "We Analyzed How the "Great Replacement" and Far Right Ideas Spread Online. The Trends Reveal Deep Concerns.," 18 July 2019 Love triangles between people with incompatible personalities dominate the film’s fragmented storyline. — Carlos Aguilar, latimes.com, "Review: ‘Summer Night’ renders young adulthood as tiresome," 11 July 2019 In one case, the infant had anomalies incompatible with life and no lifesaving measures were taken. — Ryan Faircloth, Twin Cities, "Abortions in Minnesota decreased last year, according to new state report," 1 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'incompatible.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near incompatible

Statistics for incompatible

Last Updated

20 Aug 2019

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Time Traveler for incompatible

The first known use of incompatible was in the 15th century

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More Definitions for incompatible

incompatible

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of incompatible

: not able to exist together without trouble or conflict : not going together well

: not able to be used together

See the full definition for incompatible in the English Language Learners Dictionary

incompatible

adjective

in·com·pat·i·ble | \ ˌin-kəm-ˈpa-tə-bəl

Kids Definition of incompatible

1 : not able to exist together without trouble or conflict incompatible workers incompatible plans

2 : not able to be used together This video game is incompatible with that system.

incompatible

adjective

in·com·pat·i·ble | \ ˌin-kəm-ˈpat-ə-bəl

Medical Definition of incompatible

1 : unsuitable for use together because of chemical interaction or antagonistic physiological effects incompatible drugs

2 of blood or serum : unsuitable for use in a particular transfusion because of the presence of agglutinins that act against the recipient's red blood cells