as in inability
the lack of sufficient ability, power, or means
the astounding incompetence of the new assistant
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of incompetence
The same is not true of some of the other casualties in the war on information, which have fallen victim to both ideology and incompetence.
—
David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 5 Feb. 2026
Dwala Marie Lehman had been charged with professional incompetence in the death of 77-year-old Lynne Stewart, who wandered out a door and wasn't found until 15 hours later in minus-11-degree cold.
—Clark Kauffman, Iowa Capital Dispatch, 5 Feb. 2026
Trump has repeatedly accused Powell of either incompetence or corruption over his handling of the pricey construction project.
—Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 4 Feb. 2026
But some women who have complained were met by incompetence, according to the Sunday letter to the court from Henderson and attorney Brad Edwards.
—Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for incompetence
David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 5 Feb. 2026
Dwala Marie Lehman had been charged with professional incompetence in the death of 77-year-old Lynne Stewart, who wandered out a door and wasn't found until 15 hours later in minus-11-degree cold.
—Clark Kauffman, Iowa Capital Dispatch, 5 Feb. 2026
Trump has repeatedly accused Powell of either incompetence or corruption over his handling of the pricey construction project.
—Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 4 Feb. 2026
But some women who have complained were met by incompetence, according to the Sunday letter to the court from Henderson and attorney Brad Edwards.
—Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for incompetence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for incompetence
inability
Noun
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One of the common threads in the investigation into the disappearance of Savannah Guthrie’s mom, Nancy, has been the police’s inability to confirm whether Nancy Guthrie was still alive.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
19 Feb. 2026
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The declaration was aimed at closing a dark chapter for the men and their families, and for a city that was shaken by the brutality of the crime and investigators' inability to solve it for decades.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
19 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Incompetence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incompetence. Accessed 26 Feb. 2026.
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