Incongruity: meaning, example and synonyms
Incongruityn. The state of being out of place or inconsistent with surroundings or expectations.
Example
Historians have long noted the incongruity of the palace's ornate ballroom, built in a lavish style at odds with the austere fortress around it.
- Part of speech
- noun
- Synonyms
- inconsistency, mismatch, discrepancy, contradiction
- Antonyms
- consistency, harmony, congruity, compatibility
- Memory tip
- in (not) + congruous (fitting together): something that does not fit.
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Check yourself: Incongruity in context
Visitors are often struck by the ______ of a sleek glass skyscraper rising directly beside a tiny wooden chapel built three centuries earlier.
Answer: incongruity. A modern tower beside an old chapel is a jarring mismatch, an incongruity. Reciprocity (mutual exchange), prudence (caution) and meticulousness (exacting care) don't fit this context.
The ______ between the mayor's speeches praising thrift and his own lavish spending did not escape the notice of local reporters.
Answer: incongruity. Praising thrift while spending lavishly is an inconsistency, an incongruity. Synergy (combined effect), prudence (caution) and candor (frankness) don't fit this context.