as in unfit
lacking qualities (as knowledge, skill, or ability) required to do a job
an incompetent carpenter had built the deck, and the railings were loose already
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of incompetent
Joe Soucheray, Twin Cities, 7 Mar. 2026
The fourth priest died after being deemed incompetent to stand trial in 2022.
—ABC News, 4 Mar. 2026
This saga is almost a perfect encapsulation of the administration, which somehow manages to be both malevolent and incompetent, highly disorganized while still doing a lot of damage.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 4 Mar. 2026
Justifying Díaz-Canel’s removal, a figure long despised among Cubans on the island, might not be that difficult, given Havana’s long history in getting rid of members of the government deemed disloyal, corrupt or incompetent.
—Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for incompetent
Adjective
And then fraud, which, looking back, was inevitable given our shattered and incompetent leadership.
—Joe Soucheray, Twin Cities, 7 Mar. 2026
The fourth priest died after being deemed incompetent to stand trial in 2022.
—ABC News, 4 Mar. 2026
This saga is almost a perfect encapsulation of the administration, which somehow manages to be both malevolent and incompetent, highly disorganized while still doing a lot of damage.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 4 Mar. 2026
Justifying Díaz-Canel’s removal, a figure long despised among Cubans on the island, might not be that difficult, given Havana’s long history in getting rid of members of the government deemed disloyal, corrupt or incompetent.
—Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for incompetent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for incompetent
Adjective
-
If venue personnel deem any person to be a threat, or otherwise unfit, in their sole discretion, he or she will not be permitted access and shall forfeit the prize.—
AJC.com,
AJC.com,
6 Mar. 2026
-
In October, Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Cristina Miranda found that Conner was mentally unfit to testify in person at trial and allowed the recorded testimony, even though defense attorneys will not be able to cross-examine him in front of the jury.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
24 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Mix Materials The beauty in the unfitted kitchen aesthetic is found in its collected look.—
Patricia Shannon,
Better Homes & Gardens,
6 May 2025
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The venerable American clan at the center of the narrator’s reminiscences are wholly unfitted to the modern world and no longer endowed with the fortune that one of them brought home long ago on clipper ships.—
Daniel Akst,
WSJ,
2 Sep. 2022
Adjective
-
This definition also includes instance in which the victim is incapable of giving consent because of temporary or permanent mental or physical incapacity (include due to the influence of drugs or alcohol) or because of age.—
Baltimore Sun staff,
Baltimore Sun,
13 Mar. 2026
-
One involves continuing to attack Iran’s weapons stockpiles and production facilities to render the Islamic Republic incapable of threatening its neighbors for a long time to come.—
Dennis Ross,
The Atlantic,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
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It was founded in 1856 by French butcher Guillaume Tujague who immigrated to the United States with his wife Marie Abadie.—
Stephanie Gallman Jordan,
Southern Living,
6 Mar. 2026
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From century-old butcher counters to modern beer halls and beloved neighborhood bars, every kitchen puts its own spin on this comfort-food icon — and every Iowan has an opinion about who does it best.—
Susan Stapleton,
Des Moines Register,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
For more instant gratification, grab a muddler (or the back of a wooden spoon or the end of a rolling pin).—
The New York Times News Service Syndicate,
Denver Post,
19 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Incompetent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incompetent. Accessed 16 Mar. 2026.
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