adj

incompetent

ihn-KOM-puh-tuhnt

adj

Lacking the skill or ability needed to do a job properly.

"The new manager was fired after proving incompetent at handling the budget."

"It was an incompetent attempt to fix the leaking pipe, and it made things worse."

(law) Not legally or mentally capable of making sound decisions.

"The judge ruled that the elderly man was incompetent to manage his own finances."

noun

A person who lacks the ability to do something properly.

"He was surrounded by incompetents who kept missing deadlines."

How to Use Incompetent

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishNot able to do a job or task well — lacking the skill, judgment, or authority to do it properly.

Common mistake

Don't confuse with "incompetence" (the noun for the quality itself) — incompetent describes a person or their work.

Common pairings

grossly incompetent incompetent management legally incompetent

more incompetent comparative, incompetents plural, most incompetent superlative

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The new manager was fired after proving _____ at handling the budget.

From French incompétent, ultimately from Latin in- ("not") plus competēns ("competent, capable").

competent