Definitions for: Incompetent


[n] someone who is not competent to take effective action
[adj] not meeting requirements; "unequal to the demands put upon him"
[adj] not qualified or suited for a purpose; "an incompetent secret service"; "the filming was hopeless incompetent"
[adj] not doing a good job; "incompetent at chess"
[adj] showing lack of skill or aptitude; "a bungling workman"; "did a clumsy job"; "his fumbling attempt to put up a shelf"



Webster (1913) Definition: In*com"pe*tent, a. [L. incompetens: cf. F.
incomp['e]tent. See In- not, and Competent.]
1. Not competent; wanting in adequate strength, power,
capacity, means, qualifications, or the like; incapable;
unable; inadequate; unfit.

Incompetent to perform the duties of the place.
--Macaulay.

2. (Law) Wanting the legal or constitutional qualifications;
inadmissible; as, a person professedly wanting in
religious belief is an incompetent witness in a court of
law or equity; incompetent evidence.

Richard III. had a resolution, out of hatred to his
brethren, to disable their issues, upon false and
incompetent pretexts, the one of attainder, the
other of illegitimation. --Bacon.

3. Not lying within one's competency, capacity, or authorized
power; not permissible.

Syn: Incapable; unable; inadequate; insufficient;
inefficient; disqualified; unfit; improper.

Usage: Incompetent, Incapable. Incompetent is a relative
term, denoting a want of the requisite qualifications
for performing a given act, service, etc.; incapable
is absolute in its meaning, denoting want of power,
either natural or moral. We speak of a man as
incompetent to a certain task, of an incompetent
judge, etc. We say of an idiot that he is incapable of
learning to read; and of a man distinguished for his
honor, that he is incapable of a mean action.

Synonyms: bad, bungling, clumsy, feckless, fumbling, inadequate, incapable, incompetent person, ineffective, inefficient, inept, unequal to(p), unqualified, unworkmanlike

Antonyms: competent

See Also: blunderer, botcher, bumbler, bungler, butcher, fuckup, fumbler, sad sack, slouch, stumbler, unskilled, unskilled person

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