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incoherent

adjective
in·​co·​her·​ent | \ ˌin-kō-ˈhir-ənt How to pronounce incoherent (audio) , -ˈher-\

Definition of incoherent

: lacking coherence: such as
a : lacking cohesion : loose
b : lacking orderly continuity, arrangement, or relevance : inconsistent an incoherent essay
c : lacking normal clarity or intelligibility in speech or thought incoherent with grief
Other Words from incoherent Synonyms & Antonyms Did You Know? Example Sentences Learn More about incoherent

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Other Words from incoherent

incoherently adverb

Synonyms & Antonyms for incoherent

Synonyms

choppy, disconnected, disjointed, unconnected

Antonyms

coherent, connected

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Did You Know?

Something that is coherent holds or sticks together firmly, with resistance to separation (that is, it coheres). Coherent, ultimately from the Latin co- ("together") and haerēre ("to stick or cling"), entered English in the 16th century and almost from the beginning was used both of physical things ("coherent stone") and of things which hold together in a much less palpable way ("coherent thoughts"). Its antonym, incoherent, entered the language about three-quarters of a century later. Like coherent, incoherent can be applied to both the tangible and the intangible. But, whether we are speaking of sand or logic, all things incoherent have one thing in common: they do not hold together, literally or figuratively, in a unified or intelligible whole.

Examples of incoherent in a Sentence

The fever made her incoherent. He was very upset and practically incoherent after the accident. The memo is completely incoherent.
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Recent Examples on the Web

 The result: An immigration policy that is both draconian and incoherent. — Alex Shephard, The New Republic, "The Pretzel Logic of Trump’s Immigration Policy," 14 Aug. 2019 And what new theoretical work there is supporting this remains sketchy and incoherent. — Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, "Real World Economics: ‘Inflation is solved’? Don’t bank on it," 28 July 2019 Yet incoherent is not the same as incomprehensible. — Quanta Magazine, "A Unified Theory of Randomness," 2 Aug. 2016 Quinones told The Oregonian/OregonLive that Randolph was rolling his eyes, grunting, incoherent, sunburned and badly dehydrated. — oregonlive.com, "Diabetic Oregon man, 72, who survived 5 days in desert after stranding Jeep, is feeling lucky and grateful," 3 Aug. 2019 His politics hew closely to a baby-boomer outline, which is to say that they are deeply felt, heraldically blue, and largely incoherent just beneath the surface. — Nathan Heller, The New Yorker, "Was the Automotive Era a Terrible Mistake?," 22 July 2019 Later, in the same episode, Reese Witherspoon’s character, the pert perfectionist Madeline Martha Mackenzie, gives a mostly incoherent speech at a parent assembly, arguing against teaching young children about what may happen to the planet. — Rachel Syme, The New Republic, "Big Little Lies Gets Tough," 28 June 2019 The reportee advised that the subject appeared to be incoherent. — Houston Chronicle, "West University Place Police Department weekly report," 10 June 2019 Posts are frequently incoherent or contain non sequiturs, and the bots make obvious factual errors. — James Vincent, The Verge, "There’s a subreddit populated entirely by AI personifications of other subreddits," 6 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'incoherent.' 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 incoherent

1599, in the meaning defined above

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More Definitions for incoherent

incoherent

adjective
How to pronounce incoherent (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of incoherent

: not able to talk or express yourself in a clear way that can be easily understood
: not logical or well-organized : not easy to understand

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

incoherent

adjective
in·​co·​her·​ent | \ ˌin-kō-ˈhir-ənt How to pronounce incoherent (audio) \

Kids Definition of incoherent

: not connected in a clear or logical way He was so upset, his speech was incoherent.

Other Words from incoherent

incoherently adverb

incoherent

adjective
in·​co·​her·​ent | \ -ənt How to pronounce incoherent (audio) \

Medical Definition of incoherent

: lacking clarity or intelligibility usually by reason of some emotional stress incoherent speech

Other Words from incoherent

incoherently adverb

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