as in inability
the lack of sufficient ability, power, or means
the astounding incompetence of the new assistant
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples of incompetence in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Stuxnet used malware to covertly infiltrate and damage computer systems, making the incident look like incompetence rather than outright computer failure.
—
Andi Shae Napier, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 21 Sep. 2024
Harris’s record is a story both of incompetence and of how little faith her own allies have in her political acumen and capabilities as an executive.
—Noah Rothman, National Review, 25 July 2024
But Bruen is also a showcase of the Roberts Court’s arrogance and incompetence.
—Ian Millhiser, Vox, 15 Aug. 2024
The Florida Supreme Court rejected the legal challenges to those suspensions and held that Florida’s Constitution (Art. IV, § 7(a)) allows the Governor to suspend State Attorneys (or any other State Officer not subject to impeachment) upon specific allegations of neglect of duty or incompetence.
—Samuel Stern, Sun Sentinel, 19 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for incompetence 
Andi Shae Napier, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 21 Sep. 2024
Harris’s record is a story both of incompetence and of how little faith her own allies have in her political acumen and capabilities as an executive.
—Noah Rothman, National Review, 25 July 2024
But Bruen is also a showcase of the Roberts Court’s arrogance and incompetence.
—Ian Millhiser, Vox, 15 Aug. 2024
The Florida Supreme Court rejected the legal challenges to those suspensions and held that Florida’s Constitution (Art. IV, § 7(a)) allows the Governor to suspend State Attorneys (or any other State Officer not subject to impeachment) upon specific allegations of neglect of duty or incompetence.
—Samuel Stern, Sun Sentinel, 19 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for incompetence
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'incompetence.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Articles Related to incompetence
Thesaurus Entries Near incompetence
Cite this Entry
“Incompetence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incompetence. Accessed 25 Oct. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share