Definition of incompetent Incompetent

/ɪnkɑˈmpʌtʌnt/ - [inkamputunt] - in•com•pe•tent

We found 16 definitions of incompetent from 7 different sources.

What does incompetent mean?

WordNet

Noun Plural: incompetents
incompetent - someone who is not competent to take effective action
		incompetent person
		unskilled person a person who lacks technical training
		blunderer, botcher, bumbler, bungler, fumbler, sad sack, fuckup, stumbler, butcher someone who makes mistakes because of incompetence
Adjective
incompetent - not qualified or suited for a purpose; "an incompetent secret service"; "the filming was hopeless incompetent"
		competent adequate for the purpose; "a competent performance"
		inefficient not producing desired results; wasteful; "an inefficient campaign against drugs"; "outdated and inefficient design and methods"
		unqualified not meeting the proper standards and requirements and training
		unskilled not having or showing or requiring special skill or proficiency; "unskilled in the art of rhetoric"; "an enthusiastic but unskillful mountain climber"; "unskilled labor"; "workers in unskilled occupations are finding fewer and fewer job opportunities"; "unskilled workmanship"
		feckless, inept generally incompetent and ineffectual; "feckless attempts to repair the plumbing"; "inept handling of the account"
		inefficient, ineffective not producing desired results; wasteful; "an inefficient campaign against drugs"; "outdated and inefficient design and methods"
incompetent - not doing a good job; "incompetent at chess"
		unskilled
		bad feeling physical discomfort or pain (`tough' is occasionally used colloquially for `bad'); "my throat feels bad"; "she felt bad all over"; "he was feeling tough after a restless night"
incompetent - legally not qualified or sufficient; "a wife is usually considered unqualified to testify against her husband"; "incompetent witnesses"
		unqualified
		jurisprudence, law the branch of philosophy concerned with the law and the principles that lead courts to make the decisions they do
incompetent - showing lack of skill or aptitude; "a bungling workman"; "did a clumsy job"; "his fumbling attempt to put up a shelf"
		bungling, clumsy, fumbling
		unskilled not having or showing or requiring special skill or proficiency; "unskilled in the art of rhetoric"; "an enthusiastic but unskillful mountain climber"; "unskilled labor"; "workers in unskilled occupations are finding fewer and fewer job opportunities"; "unskilled workmanship"
incompetent - not meeting requirements; "unequal to the demands put upon him"
		incapable, unequal to
		inadequate, unequal lacking the requisite qualities or resources to meet a task; "inadequate training"; "the staff was inadequate"; "she was unequal to the task"

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Wiktionary

incompetent (Noun)
A person who is incompetent.
incompetent (Adjective)
Unskilled, lacking normally expected degree of ability, Northern Victorian Irrigation Renewal Project like see ombudsmans report.
incompetent (Adjective)
Unable to make rational decisions, insane or otherwise cognitively impaired.

Webster DictionaryWebster's Unabridged Dictionary 📘

incompetent (a.)
Not competent; wanting in adequate strength, power, capacity, means, qualifications, or the like; incapable; unable; inadequate; unfit.
incompetent (a.)
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.
incompetent (a.)
Not lying within one's competency, capacity, or authorized power; not permissible.

OmegaWiki DictionaryOmegaWiki Dictionary Ω

incompetent
Lacking normally expected degree of ability.

Chambers DictionaryChamber's 20th Century Dictionary 📕

incompetent
in-kom′pe-tent, adj. wanting adequate powers: wanting the proper legal qualifications: insufficient.—ns. Incom′petence, Incom′petency.—adv. Incom′petently

Military DictionaryMilitary Dictionary and Gazetteer 💥

incompetent
Incapable; unfit; unequal. No officer, be his situation what it may, can be said to be competent to command who is not only willing and able to follow orders himself, but will likewise see them strictly adhered to by others; whose mind is not superior to partialities, and whose judgment is not equal to discern real merit from ignorant assumption.