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

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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 These incongruous people end up dying in the same dragon fire and looking the same way in a strangely intimate sort of pose. — Matt Minton, Variety, 10 Aug. 2026 Especially the guy who bangs a wrecking ball against the historic East Wing to make room for an incongruous ballroom monstrosity, who mars the sacred Oval Office with gold glitter and paves over the lovely Rose Garden. — Los Angeles Times, 6 July 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 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
  • On the police's Facebook account on Tuesday, officers criticized inappropriate comments and warned that sharing or joking about such incidents can worsen the impact on any victim.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Oct. 2026
  • In addition, pharmaceutical advertising or education aimed at doctors may also increase inappropriate prescribing, probably increases the number of prescriptions written, and may increase the costs of prescriptions.
    — Ed Silverman, STAT, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of inappropriate
Adjective
  • More problematic was the character’s heritage; he’s supposed to be half-English and half-Paraguayan, and to say Gere’s accent is inconsistent would be charitable.
    — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The Packers have been inconsistent but should be able to handle their business at home.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of inconsistent
Adjective
  • At one unsuitable Gramercy apartment, Taylor encountered Cam Armand, a salesperson on the Kota team at Compass, and the Folwells enlisted his help.
    — Joyce Cohen, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026
  • In a setting designed to make exceptional yachts desirable, explaining why a particular vessel is unsuitable requires commercial discipline.
    — Christoph Lymbersky, Forbes.com, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of unsuitable
Adjective
  • Standing between the jury and a verdict are scores of hours of conflicting testimony, bitter recriminations, and a vast trove of unfiltered texts exchanged by two brilliant scientists.
    — Chris Serres — Boston Globe, STAT, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The conflicting signals have complicated the expectations game regarding the Federal Reserve's next move.
    — Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of conflicting
Adjective
  • In 2024, its football program acknowledged impermissible recruiting contacts during the COVID-19 recruiting dead period, improper tryouts and unauthorized coaching by noncoaching staff.
    — Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2026
  • The production was shut down in Livingston, Montana last Saturday when locals complained about the production’s impact on the Livingston food bank and improper warnings about hazardous stunts.
    — Pat Saperstein, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of improper
Adjective
  • What prevents an incorrect action from propagating into the physical process?
    — Gregory Shahnovsky, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The sports media rarely treats athletes who espouse liberal or progressive political views as problematic, even when those views are provocative, divisive, or factually incorrect.
    — Bobby Burack OutKick, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of incorrect
Adjective
  • Its argument is that insurers have been pricing wildfire risk the wrong way, by looking backward at statistics and sorting homes by zip code.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The trailer begins as Ziegler’s Mae frantically asks family friend Benny, played by a sleepy Rob Lowe, for help after her big mistake — kissing the wrong brother between Graham Phillips’ Andrew and Elias Kacavas’ Theo.
    — Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of wrong
Adjective
  • Someone still must understand why that client is unhappy and rebuild confidence.
    — Adam Povlitz, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Even residents who are unhappy with most aspects of the rezoning admit that the studios were a win.
    — Kim Velsey, Curbed, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of unhappy

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incongruity
incongruous
incongruously
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Cite this Entry

“Incongruous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incongruous. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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