incongruous
gb/ɪŋkˈɔŋɹuəs/ us/ɪŋkˈɔŋɹuəs/
C1
English
Senses
0 senses
adjective
formal
C1
property
1
out of place; not matching
It does not look or feel right in that place or situation.
Usage pattern:
[something] is incongruous (in/with [place/situation])
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use it when they only mean “different”; incongruous usually implies the difference is noticeable and feels inappropriate or odd.
Synonyms
out of place (More common and less formal.)
|
inappropriate (Focuses on not being suitable rather than not matching.)
|
jarring (Emphasizes an unpleasantly noticeable mismatch.)
Antonyms
appropriate (Suitable for the situation or place.)
|
fitting (Matches well and feels right.)
|
consistent (Goes together without clashing.)
Collocations
an incongruous sight
|an incongruous image
|an incongruous detail
|an incongruous element
|an incongruous note
|an incongruous combination
|an incongruous contrast
|an incongruous setting
|an incongruous outfit
|seem incongruous
Themes
appearance
|communication
|daily_life
Examples
- The bright pink door looked incongruous on the old stone cottage.
- His casual jokes felt incongruous at such a serious meeting.
- A modern glass tower can seem incongruous beside a row of historic buildings.
Learner examples
- My sports shoes looked incongruous with my suit.
- The loud music was incongruous in the library.
adjective
formal
C1
property
2
inconsistent; not compatible
It does not agree with other facts or ideas.
Usage pattern:
[something] is incongruous with [something]
Common mistake:
Don’t confuse with “incorrect”: something can be incongruous (not fitting with other information) even if each part could be true by itself.
Synonyms
inconsistent (More direct; focuses on contradiction.)
|
incompatible (Suggests the two things cannot exist together easily.)
|
at odds (Often used for conflict between ideas or accounts.)
Antonyms
consistent (In agreement and not contradictory.)
|
compatible (Able to exist together without conflict.)
|
coherent (Logically connected and easy to make sense of.)
Collocations
incongruous with the evidence
|incongruous with the facts
|incongruous with reality
|incongruous with his claims
|incongruous with her values
|incongruous with the data
|incongruous with the theory
|incongruous with the context
|incongruous statement
|incongruous argument
Themes
thinking
|communication
|academics
Examples
- His explanation was incongruous with the timeline established by the emails.
- The conclusion seems incongruous with the evidence presented in the report.
- Her public statements were incongruous with her actions behind the scenes.
Learner examples
- That story is incongruous with the facts.
- His answer was incongruous with what he said before.
Grammar
Dictionary form
incongruous
IPA
GB/ɪŋkˈɔŋɹuəs/
US/ɪŋkˈɔŋɹuəs/
Syllables & stress
in - con - gru - ous (4 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (con)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: incongruous
Word family
Core family
incongruously
adverb C1
incongruity
noun C1
Related words
incongruent
adjective
incongruence
noun
Negative and opposite forms
congruous
adjective
congruent
adjective
Advanced or less common
congruence
noun
Expressions
incongruous to
1/ɪŋkˈɔŋɹuəs tə/
fixed phrase
formal
seems inappropriate to someone
seems not right to someone
Examples
- It seemed incongruous to me that he would refuse help.
- The decision was incongruous to many voters given her earlier promises.
- It may feel incongruous to you at first, but it becomes normal quickly.
incongruous with
1/ɪŋkˈɔŋɹuəs wˈɪθ/
fixed phrase
formal
not matching; inconsistent with
used to say two things do not fit together
Examples
- The bright colors are incongruous with the painting’s somber mood.
- His friendly tone was incongruous with the harsh words in the message.
- The results are incongruous with what we predicted.
seem incongruous
1/sˈim ɪŋkˈɔŋɹuəs/
fixed phrase
formal
appear out of place
appear to not fit
Examples
- The sudden laughter seemed incongruous in the tense room.
- A beach umbrella can seem incongruous in the middle of winter.
- His cheerful email seemed incongruous after the bad news.