adj
incontinent
ihng-KON-tih-nuhnt
adj
1
Unable to control the bladder or bowels.
"The elderly dog had become incontinent and needed extra care."
2
Lacking self-restraint, especially regarding desires or impulses.
"He was incontinent in his spending, buying whatever caught his eye."
How to Use Incontinent
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishUnable to hold something back — most often used for loss of bladder or bowel control.
Common pairings
become incontinent
incontinent patient
Word Forms
more incontinent comparative, incontinents plural, most incontinent superlative
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “incontinent”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The elderly dog had become _____ and needed extra care.
Etymology
From Old French incontinent, from Latin incontinens, from in- ("not") plus continens ("holding together, restrained").