Incompetent vs. Incompetence — What's the Difference?
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Difference Between Incompetent and Incompetence
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Definitions
Incompetent
Lacking qualities necessary for effective conduct or action
An incompetent manager.
Incompetence
The quality or state of being incompetent.
Incompetent
Inadequate for or unsuited to a particular purpose or application
“Because so many diseases fluctuate randomly over time, patients sometimes spontaneously improve despite incompetent treatment” (Richard A. Friedman).
Incompetence
Inability to perform; lack of competence; ineptitude.
Incompetent
Not functioning properly in the body
An incompetent heart valve.
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Incompetence
The quality or state of being incompetent; lack of physical, intellectual, or moral ability; lack of qualifications or training (for a particular task); insufficiency; inadequacy; as, the incompetency of a child for hard labor, or of an idiot for intellectual efforts.
Incompetent
Not legally qualified, as testimony that does not meet the standards for admissibility or a juror whose personal interest in the outcome of the case does not allow that juror to serve impartially.
Incompetence
Lack of competency or legal fitness; incapacity; disqualification, as of a person to be heard as a witness, or to act as a juror, or of a judge to try a cause.
Incompetent
Lacking sufficient mental ability or awareness
A defendant incompetent to stand trial.
Incompetence
Lack of physical or intellectual ability or qualifications
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Incompetent
An incompetent person.
Incompetence
Inability of a part or organ to function properly
Incompetent
Unskilled; lacking the degree of ability that would normally be expected.
Having an incompetent lawyer may be grounds for a retrial, but the lawyer in question probably doesn't know that.
Incompetent
Unable to make rational decisions; insane or otherwise cognitively impaired.
The charged was judged incompetent to stand trial, at least until his medication started working.
Incompetent
Opening too early during pregnancy, resulting in miscarriage or premature birth.
Incompetent
(geology) Not resistant to deformation or flow.
Incompetent
A person who is incompetent.
Incompetent
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.
Incompetent
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; a mentally defective person is incompetent to care for himself and requires a legal guardian.
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.
Incompetent
Not lying within one's competency, capacity, or authorized power; not permissible.
Incompetent
Someone who is not competent to take effective action
Incompetent
Not qualified or suited for a purpose;
An incompetent secret service
The filming was hopeless incompetent
Incompetent
Showing lack of skill or aptitude;
A bungling workman
Did a clumsy job
His fumbling attempt to put up a shelf
Incompetent
Not doing a good job;
Incompetent at chess
Incompetent
Not meeting requirements;
Unequal to the demands put upon him