incompatible

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

|Updated on: 9 Jul 2018

Examples: incompatible in a Sentence

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

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incompatible

noun

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incompatibly

play \ˌin-kəm-ˈpa-tə-blē\ adverb

See incompatible defined for English-language learners

See incompatible defined for kids

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 of incompatible from the Web

But sometimes those priorities can be incompatible.

— vahe gregorian, kansascity, "The Royals are considering trying to sign Luke Heimlich. Here's why they shouldn't," 25 June 2018
The experts scoffed, saying these goals were incompatible because sanctions triggered by the nuclear tests would kill economic growth.

— barbara demick, latimes.com, "Kim Jong Un, the 'perfect dictator,' gets ready for the spotlight in Singapore," 10 June 2018
The council concluded a gas station was incompatible with the light rail station and that a fuel center would be detrimental to the health, safety and welfare of Curtis Park residents.

— tony bizjak, sacbee, "City of Sacramento back to court to block Crocker Village gas station," 31 May 2018
Flooding, of course, is incompatible with preservation.

— jake bullinger, Outside Online, "NPS Report—Gasp!—Acknowledges Climate Change," 25 May 2018
One doesn’t need to believe that capitalism, as such, is incompatible with democracy to accept that a certain threshold of economic equality is a prerequisite for the latter.

— eric levitz, Daily Intelligencer, "America’s Version of Capitalism Is Incompatible With Democracy," 23 May 2018
The nativist and xenophobic rhetoric underlying the Brexit campaign sent the message that being a person of color and being British were incompatible.

— tariro mzezewa, Vanities, "Diana Was the People’s Princess. What Might Meghan Markle Be?," 11 May 2018
Macron says those rights are now outdated and incompatible with the 21st century global economy.

— samuel petrequin, The Christian Science Monitor, "In marches against Macron, French protesters recall movements of 1968," 2 May 2018
But Orban's portrayal of Brussels as an enemy of the European people is simply incompatible with traditional Christian democratic ideals of continental unity.

— chicagotribune.com, "Europe forgot what 'conservative' means," 22 Mar. 2018

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.

Origin and Etymology of incompatible

Middle English, from Medieval Latin incompatibilis, from Latin in- + Medieval Latin compatibilis compatible

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First Known Use: 15th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

incompatible Synonyms

Phrases

at odds, at variance;

Other Government and Politics Terms

agent provocateur, agitprop, autarky, cabal, egalitarianism, federalism, hegemony, plenipotentiary, popular sovereignty, socialism

INCOMPATIBLE Defined for English Language Learners

incompatible

adjective

Definition of incompatible for English Language Learners

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

INCOMPATIBLE Defined for Kids

incompatible

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

Definition of incompatible for Students

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.

Medical Dictionary

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