Word
incompetent
Phoneticsin·com·pe·tent, stress on the second syllable
US/ˌɪnˈkɑmpətənt/
UK/ɪnkˈɒmpɪtənt/
Definitions
01unskilled or incapable
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. not having the skills or ability to do a job or task well.
adj. lacking the necessary ability, knowledge, or skill to perform a task or function successfully.
“The company fired the manager because he was incompetent and kept losing money.”
“The investigation revealed that the project failed due to an incompetent leadership team that ignored several safety warnings.”
02legally unfit
C1 · Advanced Law Formal · Technical
adj. not able to make good decisions for yourself because of a mental problem.
adj. lacking the legal or mental capacity to manage one's own affairs or to stand trial.
“The judge ruled that the man was mentally incompetent to sign the contract.”
“The court appointed a legal guardian after the defendant was declared mentally incompetent to manage his own financial estate.”
Synonyms
03geology/medicine
C2 · Proficiency Science Technical
adj. describing a part of the body or a layer of rock that is weak and changes shape easily.
adj. referring to a physical structure that fails to perform its function or lacks the strength to resist deformation.
“The doctor explained that an incompetent valve was causing the patient's heart problems.”
“In this geological formation, the incompetent layers of shale folded much more easily than the surrounding sandstone under tectonic pressure.”
04an incapable person
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Informal
n. a person who is not good at their job or lacks necessary skills.
n. a person who lacks the ability or qualities needed to perform a role effectively.
“I am tired of working with incompetents who never finish their work on time.”
“The political satirist portrayed the entire cabinet as a group of bumbling incompetents who were out of touch with reality.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
Real-World Examples
“Indeed, the army has already learned this: compulsory recruits in the postwar period were typically unmotivated and incompetent; a drag rather than a boost to the military’s performance.” “Is the defence really that they can’t be malicious because they are incompetent?” Etymology
Borrowed from French incompétent, from Late Latin incompetentem, from Latin incompetēns, equivalent to in- + competent.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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