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incongruous

adjective
in·​con·​gru·​ous | \ (ËŒ)in-ˈkäŋ-grÉ™-wÉ™s How to pronounce incongruous (audio) \

Definition of incongruous

: lacking congruity: such as
a : not harmonious : incompatible incongruous colors
b : not conforming : disagreeing conduct incongruous with principle
c : inconsistent within itself an incongruous story
d : lacking propriety : unsuitable incongruous manners
Other Words from incongruous Synonyms & Antonyms Did You Know? Example Sentences Learn More about incongruous

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Other Words from incongruous

incongruously adverb
incongruousness noun

Did You Know?

Incongruous is a spin-off of its antonym, congruous, which means "in agreement, harmony, or correspondence." Etymologists are in agreement about the origin of both words; they trace to the Latin verb congruere, which means "to come together" or "to agree." The dates of the words' first uses in English match up pretty well, too. The first known use of congruous dates from 1599, and the earliest print appearance of incongruous dates from 1611.

Examples of incongruous in a Sentence

There is something incongruous about Oslo. — Hugh C. McDonald, The Hour of the Blue Fox, 1975 … it would be as incongruous to meet her at the end of a chapter as it would be to see the dawn break in the west … — Herman Wouk, Aurora Dawn, 1947 He ate enormously, with a zest which seemed incongruous with his spare frame. — Willa Cather, The Song of the Lark, 1915 His outburst seemed incongruous to those who know him well. there's an incongruous modernism to the actor's performance in this period piece
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Recent Examples on the Web

 The reference isn’t completely incongruous, as there’s a frolicsome quality to Fornés’ writing. — Los Angeles Times, "Review: Under-performed feminist masterpiece ‘Fefu and Her Friends’ is reborn at the Odyssey," 13 Aug. 2019 Yes, there is something incongruous about an athlete, locked in a competitive endeavor, winning and then apologizing. — Jon Wertheim, SI.com, "Mailbag: Why Have Younger Players Struggled To Challenge the Big 3?," 3 July 2019 The pieces of this puzzle are realistic, but some of them — such as a rock outcropping topped with trees both real and fake — are incongruous. — Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, "In the galleries: Whimsy rendered starkly, in black and white," 7 June 2019 In the streambed, note the sycamore and willow trees, interrupted by the occasional incongruous fan palm. — Los Angeles Times, "L.A. Walks: Limekiln Canyon Park is an unexpected, shady oasis," 9 Aug. 2019 In another context, the fact that Monty (Jonathan Majors), who works in a fish market, writes plays and is frequently seen sketching might seem incongruous. — Mark Feeney, BostonGlobe.com, "A sense of dislocation in ‘The Last Black Man in San Francisco’," 13 June 2019 Every morning, when their owners left, the animals would reveal their true nature, incongruous or not (head-banging poodle, gangster bunny, etc.) and gather with their pals, hopping from fire escape to fire escape. — Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, "‘Secret Life of Pets 2’ adds babies and toddlers to lovable animal mix," 6 June 2019 The city is a cheeky insult to the natural order, a mix of incongruous elements that somehow reinforce one another while trying to tear one another down. — Garry Wills, The New York Review of Books, "The City That Wouldn’t Die," 4 Apr. 2019 Those two things at first may seem incongruous but make sense. — Stefan Stevenson, star-telegram, "Game saver: Rangers closer Keone Kela remains perfect in 2018," 28 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'incongruous.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of incongruous

1611, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for incongruous

Late Latin incongruus, from Latin in- + congruus congruous

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More Definitions for incongruous

incongruous

adjective
How to pronounce incongruous (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of incongruous

: strange because of not agreeing with what is usual or expected

See the full definition for incongruous in the English Language Learners Dictionary

incongruous

adjective
in·​con·​gru·​ous | \ in-ˈkäŋ-grÉ™-wÉ™s How to pronounce incongruous (audio) \

Kids Definition of incongruous

: not proper, suitable, or in harmony incongruous colors

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