INCONGRUOUS Synonyms: 153 Similar and Opposite Words

incongruous

adjective

(ˌ)in-ˈkäŋ-grə-wəs

Definition of incongruous

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

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

Adjective

The restaurant industry across the country is challenging and rife with workplace abuse and inappropriate behavior that includes issues like heavy drinking, inappropriate relationships, fights between employees and wage theft.

— Katelyn Umholtz, Kansas City Star, 29 Sep. 2026
For households, the AdGuard Family Plan also includes parental controls for restricting access to inappropriate and adult content.

— StackCommerce Team, PC Magazine, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of inappropriate

Adjective

Even the actors’ bodies exhibit the bland greige produced by the high dynamic range of digital cameras and are flattened by the inconsistent lighting that comes from overuse of green screens.

— Harmon Siegel, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
In Finance Give agentic AI fragmented data, inconsistent processes or unclear ownership, and those weaknesses become part of how the technology operates.

— Ari Widlansky, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of inconsistent

Adjective

And the religious character of this language is by no means unsuitable to this project of science that was bathed in biblical metaphors from the get-go—Code name Trinity, to cite just one example.

— Artforum, Artforum, 28 Sep. 2026
Like other foods, bird seed is perishable and will spoil if it’s kept in unsuitable conditions.

— Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 27 Sep. 2026

Definition of unsuitable

Adjective

Students are transferring three and four times, pros are trying to play ball against college kids, conflicting court decisions have created a fragmented system, one that no one intended.

— Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 29 Sep. 2026
Technology that creates extra steps, produces conflicting information or is difficult to use can become an obstacle rather than a solution.

— Natalie Lemke, Forbes.com, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of conflicting

Adjective

Similarly, the spokesperson said OpenAI models used publicly available developer keys to read demographic and economic Census Bureau data, but that the company found no evidence of improper access to Census accounts.

— Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 26 Sep. 2026
On June 29, a New Haven Superior Court jury found Stokes guilty of murder, criminal attempt to commit improper sale of a firearm, conspiracy to commit improper sale of a firearm and carrying a pistol or revolver without a permit.

— Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of improper

Adjective

The appropriate level of human involvement depends on financial exposure, customer impact, regulatory requirements, security implications, reversibility and the consequences of an incorrect decision.

— Jayasri Ranganathan, Forbes.com, 29 Sep. 2026
But predictions that the Islamic Republic would collapse proved incorrect.

— Ali Vaez, Foreign Affairs, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of incorrect

Adjective

Premiering in 2004 on Fox, The Swan cast women who self-reported as unhappy about their appearances in a grueling competition to see who could pull off the most profound physical transformation.

— Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Sep. 2026
More Florida customers dissatisfied Count Brandon Reich among Florida’s unhappy property insurance customers.

— Ron Hurtibise, Sun Sentinel, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of unhappy

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incongruity

incongruous

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“Incongruous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incongruous. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of incongruous

adjective

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