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Incongruity: meaning, definitions and examples

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incongruity

 

[ ˌɪn.kənˈɡruː.ə.ti ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

sense of being inappropriate or out of place

Incongruity is the state of being incongruous or lacking harmony. It refers to something that is inappropriate, out of place, or not in agreement with its surroundings. This lack of congruity can create a sense of discord or dissonance.

Synonyms

discordance, discrepancy, dissonance, inappropriateness

Examples of usage

  • The incongruity of his casual attire at the formal event was quite noticeable.
  • The incongruity of her sarcastic remarks during the somber meeting raised a few eyebrows.
  • The incongruity between his words and actions made it difficult to trust him.

Translations

Translations of the word "incongruity" in other languages:

🇵🇹 incongruência

🇮🇳 असंगति

🇩🇪 Unstimmigkeit

🇮🇩 ketidaksesuaian

🇺🇦 невідповідність

🇵🇱 niezgodność

🇯🇵 不一致

🇫🇷 incongruité

🇪🇸 incongruencia

🇹🇷 uyumsuzluk

🇰🇷 불일치

🇸🇦 تناقض

🇨🇿 nesoulad

🇸🇰 nezrovnalosť

🇨🇳 不协调

🇸🇮 neskladnost

🇮🇸 ósamræmi

🇰🇿 үйлеспеушілік

🇬🇪 შეუთავსებლობა

🇦🇿 uyğunsuzluq

🇲🇽 incongruencia

Etymology

The word 'incongruity' originated from the Latin word 'incongruitas', which means inconsistency or unsuitability. It has been used in English since the 17th century to describe the state of being inappropriate or out of place. The concept of incongruity has been explored in various fields, including philosophy, literature, and psychology, to understand the impact of conflicting elements in different contexts.

Word Frequency Rank

Positioned at #20,693, this word is part of extensive vocabulary. It's relatively rare in general usage but may be important in specific fields or formal writing.