incongruous

adjective

(ˌ)in-ˈkäŋ-grə-wəs How to pronounce incongruous (audio)
Definition of incongruousnext
1
as in inappropriate
not appropriate for a particular occasion or situation there's an incongruous modernism to the actor's performance in this period piece

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in inconsistent
not being in agreement or harmony incongruous theories about the origins of matter

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of incongruous The beloved Greengrass wallpaper, with its incongruous scenes of old New Orleans, has been absorbing the smell for many decades. — David Remnick, New Yorker, 8 June 2026 But sticking synthetic turf on one of the world’s most famous beaches struck some as incongruous, or worse. — Steve Bousquet, Sun Sentinel, 6 June 2026 This response would have been noticeably incongruous with the time, and it would certainly be read as the intentions with which it was likely written, as naming a kind of politics. — Literary Hub, 2 June 2026 There’s something delightfully incongruous about arriving at Rockaway Beach. — Zoey Goto, Travel + Leisure, 2 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for incongruous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for incongruous
  1. inappropriate
  2. inconsistent
  3. unsuitable
  4. conflicting
  5. improper
  6. incorrect
  7. wrong
  8. unhappy
Adjective
  • Pat is a little bit like an inappropriate uncle at a family gathering in the 1970s.
    — Sheena McKenzie, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Montana did not directly answer questions about the decision to choose BCBS over Allegiance and whether there was inappropriate contact among state officials.
    — Bob Herman, STAT, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of inappropriate
Adjective
  • Jalen Coker’s three-year, $36 million contract solidified him as Carolina’s WR2, and his Round 11 ADP looks like a bargain compared to Tetairoa McMillan’s Round 4 price given the target competition around Bryce Young’s inconsistent passing attack.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The pitch had inconsistent shape and was difficult to command.
    — Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of inconsistent
Adjective
  • When channels are created with unsuitable blades, angles, or placement, transplanted hair may grow in an unnatural direction or produce an overly uniform appearance.
    — Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Websites often attract unsuitable clients due to ineffective copy, hindering business growth.
    — Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of unsuitable
Adjective
  • If your adjusters still need to move between multiple systems, reconcile conflicting information or manually validate data, the technology is most likely adding complexity instead of eliminating it.
    — David Tobias, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The statement comes after conflicting comments across social media suggested Thomas had died.
    — Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of conflicting
Adjective
  • His brother, Eugene, who also reported the phone call as being improper, was elected to Congress in 2024 from Virginia.
    — Caroline Linton, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Yet Jeanie’s attorney, Adam Streisand of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton Law, argued in the letter sent to her siblings’ attorneys that two previous legal rulings render that strategy improper.
    — Sam Amick, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of improper
Adjective
  • When requirements are unclear, AI may make incorrect assumptions that compound over multiple iterations.
    — Son Nguyen, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The senators also noted that grants were canceled out of the blue with form letters, which had contradictory explanations and incorrect citations.
    — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of incorrect
Adjective
  • There’s nothing wrong with holding on to childhood and being a little immature from time to time.
    — Loren Savini, Allure, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Cleveland Police said a Volkswagen Passat carrying five members of the public was traveling the wrong way down the A66 highway near Middlesbrough and collided with a police vehicle on the same road going in the right direction.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of wrong
Adjective
  • That may explain why Trump is unhappy with the cost of borrowing.
    — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Let’s see where the line is drawn, but someone will be unhappy.
    — Graham Scott, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of unhappy

Browse Nearby Words

incongruity
incongruous
incongruously
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Theme music by Joshua Stamper ©2006 New Jerusalem Music/ASCAP

Cite this Entry

“Incongruous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incongruous. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of devolve

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 21

16 Glee-ridden Words from Schitt's Creek
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
alt-684346df967d5
Add A Letter Quiz Pick the letter that goes in the same spot in fou...
See All