in|com|pe|tent / I nkɒ mp I tənt/ (incompetents ) ADJ If you describe someone as incompetent , you are criticizing them because they are unable to do their job or a task properly. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ He wants the power to sack incompetent teachers. ● N‑COUNT An incompetent is someone who is incompetent. □ I'm surrounded by incompetents!
in|com|plete / I nkəmpliː t/ ADJ Something that is incomplete is not yet finished, or does not have all the parts or details that it needs. □ The clearing of rubbish and drains is still incomplete.
in|com|pre|hen|sible / I nkɒmpr I he ns I b ə l/ ADJ Something that is incomprehensible is impossible to understand. □ …incomprehensible mathematics puzzles.
in|com|pre|hen|sion / I nkɒmpr I he nʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT Incomprehension is the state of being unable to understand something or someone. □ Rosie had a look of incomprehension on her face.
in|con|ceiv|able / I nkənsiː vəb ə l/ ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If you describe something as inconceivable , you think it is very unlikely to happen or be true. □ It was inconceivable to me that Toby could have been my attacker.
in|con|clu|sive / I nkənkluː s I v/
1 ADJ If research or evidence is inconclusive , it has not proved anything. □ Research has so far proved inconclusive.
2 ADJ If a contest or conflict is inconclusive , it is not clear who has won or who is winning. □ The past two elections were inconclusive.
in|con|gru|ity / I nkɒŋgruː I ti/ (incongruities ) N‑VAR The incongruity of something is its strangeness when considered together with other aspects of a situation. [FORMAL ] □ [+ of ] She smiled at the incongruity of the question.
in|con|gru|ous / I nkɒ ŋgruəs/ ADJ Someone or something that is incongruous seems strange when considered together with other aspects of a situation. [FORMAL ] □ She was small and fragile and looked incongruous in an army uniform. ● in|con|gru|ous|ly ADV [ADV after v, ADV adj/-ed] □ …buildings perched incongruously in a high green valley.
in|con|sequen|tial / I nkɒns I kwe nʃ ə l/ ADJ Something that is inconsequential is not important. □ …a constant reminder of just how insignificant and inconsequential their lives were.
in|con|sid|er|able / I nkəns I dərəb ə l/ ADJ [with neg, usu ADJ n] If you describe an amount or quality as not inconsiderable , you are emphasizing that it is, in fact, large or present to a large degree. [EMPHASIS ] □ The production costs are a not inconsiderable £8 million.
in|con|sid|er|ate / I nkəns I dərət/ ADJ If you accuse someone of being inconsiderate , you mean that they do not take enough care over how their words or actions will affect other people. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ [+ to ] Motorists were criticised for being inconsiderate to pedestrians.
in|con|sist|en|cy / I nkəns I stənsi/ (inconsistencies )
1 N‑UNCOUNT If you refer to someone's inconsistency , you are criticizing them for not behaving in the same way every time a similar situation occurs. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ His worst fault was his inconsistency.
2 N‑VAR If there are inconsistencies in two statements, one cannot be true if the other is true. □ [+ in ] We were asked to investigate the alleged inconsistencies in his evidence.
in|con|sist|ent / I nkəns I stənt/
1 ADJ If you describe someone as inconsistent , you are criticizing them for not behaving in the same way every time a similar situation occurs. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ You are inconsistent and unpredictable.
2 ADJ Someone or something that is inconsistent does not stay the same, being sometimes good and sometimes bad. □ We had a terrific start to the season, but recently we've been inconsistent.
3 ADJ If two statements are inconsistent , one cannot possibly be true if the other is true. □ [+ with ] The evidence given in court was inconsistent with what he had previously told them.
4 ADJ [v-link ADJ with n] If something is inconsistent with a set of ideas or values, it does not fit in well with them or match them. □ [+ with ] This legislation is inconsistent with what they call Free Trade.
in|con|sol|able / I nkənsoʊ ləb ə l/ ADJ If you say that someone is inconsolable , you mean that they are very sad and cannot be comforted. □ When my mother died I was inconsolable.
in|con|spicu|ous / I nkənsp I kjuəs/
1 ADJ Someone who is inconspicuous does not attract attention to themselves. □ I'll try to be as inconspicuous as possible. ● in|con|spicu|ous|ly ADV [ADV after v] □ I sat inconspicuously in a corner.
2 ADJ Something that is inconspicuous is not easily seen or does not attract attention because it is small, ordinary, or hidden away. □ …an inconspicuous grey building.
in|con|ti|nence / I nkɒ nt I nəns/ N‑UNCOUNT Incontinence is the inability to prevent urine or faeces coming out of your body. □ Incontinence is not just a condition of old age.
in|con|ti|nent / I nkɒ nt I nənt/ ADJ Someone who is incontinent is unable to prevent urine or faeces coming out of their body. □ His diseased bladder left him incontinent.
in|con|tro|vert|ible / I nkɒntrəvɜː r t I b ə l/ ADJ Incontrovertible evidence or facts are absolutely certain and cannot be shown to be wrong. □ We have incontrovertible evidence of what took place. ● in|con|tro|vert|ibly ADV □ No solution is incontrovertibly right.
in|con|ven|ience / I nkənviː niəns/ (inconveniences , inconveniencing , inconvenienced )
1 N‑VAR If someone or something causes inconvenience , they cause problems or difficulties. □ We apologize for any inconvenience caused during the repairs.