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 During the talk, Brooks joked about the seeming incongruity of teaching courses in emotional realism under the shingle of a public policy school. Erin Vanderhoof, Vanity Fair, 21 Apr. 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
  • Clarke’s legacy, of a philosophical cinema that turns form into inquiry, critique, and protest, is also a cinema of paradox.
    Richard Brody, New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The phrase cradles this paradox; depending on the context, the phrase could mean bliss or tragedy.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Incongruity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incongruity. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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