adjective
incompatible
in-kum-PAT-uh-bul/ˌɪnkəmˈpætəbl/
Unable to work or exist together because of a mismatch or conflict.
The square peg and smaller round hole are incompatible.
Etymology
The negative prefix denies the possibility of harmonious coexistence. Originally applied to church benefices that could not be held together, the word also came to describe things or people that cannot function successfully together.
In context
these 13 genuinely incompatible societies did something none of their founders had planned for. They organized, negotiated, and fought together as a single revolutionary movement.
More examples
- Their incompatible schedules make it hard to meet.
- The roommates have incompatible ideas about keeping the apartment clean.
- Store incompatible chemicals separately to prevent dangerous reactions.
Forms
incompatible
incompatibility noun — A mismatch that prevents successful coexistence.
Similar words
- conflicting
- Emphasizes direct opposition, especially between demands, interests, or accounts.
- mismatched
- Emphasizes poor pairing without necessarily ruling out working together.