Synonyms of incongruity

incongruity

noun

ˌin-kən-ˈgrü-ə-tē 

as in paradox

someone or something with qualities or features that seem to conflict with one another

she's an incongruity: an impeccably groomed woman who keeps a messy house

Synonyms & Similar Words

• paradox
• dichotomy
• contradiction
• mystery
• enigma
• riddle
• puzzle
• conundrum
• antinomy
• puzzlement
• mystification

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of incongruity

There is an incongruity that may be best understood as an irony. — Aaron Matz, The New York Review of Books, 4 Apr. 2026

The incongruity between the grim dystopia that Coetzee conjured and the booming post-apartheid reality of Cape Town is terribly relevant to the way he is perceived, and puzzled over, by South Africans today. — Gary Shteyngart, The Atlantic, 17 Mar. 2026

This shows early cognitive engagement with incongruity, which is a fundamental element of humor. — Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 9 Mar. 2026

Ridge’s equal deftness at the high end and the low is one of many apparent incongruities that the winery has managed to balance comfortably. — Senior Wine Critic, San Francisco Chronicle, 24 Feb. 2026