1
Core meaning
A mismatch or lack of harmony between things that do not fit together appropriately.
Example
The glass tower creates an incongruity in the medieval square.
incongruity
/ˌɪnkənˈɡruːəti/ · in-kun-GROO-ih-teenoun
A mismatch or lack of harmony between things that do not fit together appropriately.
Use incongruity to express this relationship precisely: a mismatch or lack of harmony between things that do not fit together appropriately.
What incongruity Really Means
The word becomes easier to use when its closely related senses are separated and compared.
2
Common noun frame
Use this noun in a complete noun phrase, adding the complement that identifies what it refers to when needed.
Example
Reviewers noted an incongruity between the data and the conclusion.
3
Analytical distinction
Choose it when this exact concept matters; a related term may describe its cause, evidence, or opposite instead.
Example
The comedy depends on the incongruity of formal language in a chaotic scene.
Use incongruity Naturally
Notice how the surrounding noun or clause reveals the exact shade of meaning.
The glass tower creates an incongruity in the medieval square.
Reviewers noted an incongruity between the data and the conclusion.
The comedy depends on the incongruity of formal language in a chaotic scene.
Precision Matters
Incongruity overlaps with several common words, but each carries a different emphasis.
incongruity
vs.Means a mismatch or lack of harmony between things that do not fit together appropriately.
systematic
Means done according to an organized, consistent, and methodical plan or procedure.
incongruity
vs.Means a mismatch or lack of harmony between things that do not fit together appropriately.
analogous
Means similar or comparable in relevant respects, though not necessarily identical.
incongruity
vs.Means a mismatch or lack of harmony between things that do not fit together appropriately.
concomitant
Means naturally accompanying, associated with, or occurring alongside something else.
incongruity
vs.Means a mismatch or lack of harmony between things that do not fit together appropriately.
incongruous
Means not in harmony or keeping with the surroundings.
Test incongruity in Context
The two elements are unsuitably mismatched.
1
The cheerful music created a disturbing ___ with the film's images of destruction.