as in inability
the lack of sufficient ability, power, or means
the astounding incompetence of the new assistant
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of incompetence
The state Board of Dentistry suspended Kamel, who was accused of incompetence after putting two patients through elaborate implant surgeries that failed, leading to painful infections.
—
Kristi Miller, Twin Cities, 20 Mar. 2026
The only thing that explains this is both a cover-up and incompetence at the DOJ.
—Mishal Husain, Bloomberg, 20 Mar. 2026
But through a series of mistakes and apparent incompetence, the dispatchers never got the information to police who were seconds away.
—Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 18 Mar. 2026
At the same time, the board charged Chaudhry with professional incompetence and knowingly making misleading, deceptive, untrue, or fraudulent representations in the practice of medicine.
—Clark Kauffman, Iowa Capital Dispatch, 13 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for incompetence
Kristi Miller, Twin Cities, 20 Mar. 2026
The only thing that explains this is both a cover-up and incompetence at the DOJ.
—Mishal Husain, Bloomberg, 20 Mar. 2026
But through a series of mistakes and apparent incompetence, the dispatchers never got the information to police who were seconds away.
—Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 18 Mar. 2026
At the same time, the board charged Chaudhry with professional incompetence and knowingly making misleading, deceptive, untrue, or fraudulent representations in the practice of medicine.
—Clark Kauffman, Iowa Capital Dispatch, 13 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for incompetence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for incompetence
inability
Noun
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Experts say multinationals and foreign investors still want a share of India's consumption story — but the country's inability to create more white-collar jobs is undermining that narrative.—
Priyanka Salve,
CNBC,
2 Apr. 2026
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When their inability to compromise led to a government shutdown in 2011, Standard & Poor’s downgraded this country’s debt from AAA to AA for the first time in roughly a century.—
Stu Strumwasser,
Fortune,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Incompetence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incompetence. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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