Definition of incongruitynext
as in paradox
someone or something with qualities or features that seem to conflict with one another she's an incongruity: an impeccably groomed woman who keeps a messy house

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of incongruity Irony involves incongruity, while tragicomedy is about possible congruity—not mutual erasure but the capacity for the tragic and comic to coexist. — Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 14 June 2026 There is an incongruity that may be best understood as an irony. — Aaron Matz, The New York Review of Books, 4 Apr. 2026 The incongruity between the grim dystopia that Coetzee conjured and the booming post-apartheid reality of Cape Town is terribly relevant to the way he is perceived, and puzzled over, by South Africans today. — Gary Shteyngart, The Atlantic, 17 Mar. 2026 This shows early cognitive engagement with incongruity, which is a fundamental element of humor. — Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 9 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for incongruity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for incongruity
paradox
Noun
  • However, Raman's fractured relationship with the DSA has become the defining paradox of her candidacy here in LA.
    — Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 26 Oct. 2026
  • This is the paradox that Condorcet, a passionate believer in democracy, encountered in the late 18th century.
    — Alex Stone, Quanta Magazine, 26 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Incongruity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incongruity. Accessed 30 Oct. 2026.

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