English Reference
Adjective

incongruous

adj.
C1 Advanced US /ˌɪŋˈkɔŋɹuəs/ UK /ɪnkˈɒnɡɹuːəs/ in·con·gru·ous Mathematics

adj.not matching or fitting with what is around it. You use this to describe something that feels out of place or strange in its environment.

adj.not in harmony or keeping with the surroundings or other respects; inconsistent or inharmonious. Often used to describe a mismatch between two concepts or physical objects.


SIMPLE

The bright red car looked incongruous in the quiet white neighborhood.

CONTEXTUAL

The modern glass skyscraper created an incongruous sight against the backdrop of the ancient stone cathedral.

COMPLEX

The speaker's formal, academic tone was incongruous with the casual, slang-filled environment of the local coffee shop where the lecture was held.

Pollack wrote that it was “incongruous” for the US to recognise Rodriguez, who was appointed by Maduro, and not Maduro himself.

Al Jazeera· 3 Sept 2026

At first, the effect is so incongruous to be almost funny – but then its uncanniness starts to make sense.

The Guardian· 18 Aug 2026

From Latin incongruus, from in- (“not”) + congruus (“congruent”), equivalent to in- + congruous.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Occasional
Updated