incompetent Meaning, Definition & Usage

noun someone who is not competent to take effective action
incompetent person.
adjective legally not qualified or sufficient
unqualified.
- a wife is usually considered unqualified to testify against her husband
- incompetent witnesses
adjective not qualified or suited for a purpose
- an incompetent secret service
- the filming was hopeless incompetent
adjective satellite showing lack of skill or aptitude
clumsy; fumbling; bungling.
- a bungling workman
- did a clumsy job
- his fumbling attempt to put up a shelf
adjective satellite not doing a good job
unskilled.
- incompetent at chess
adjective satellite not meeting requirements
incapable; unequal to.
- unequal to the demands put upon him

L. incompetens: cf. F. incompétent. See In- not, and Competent.

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.
(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.
Not lying within one's competency, capacity, or authorized power; not permissible. Syn. -- Incapable; unable; inadequate; insufficient; inefficient; disqualified; unfit; improper. -- 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.