incongruity

/,inkɔɳ'gru:iti/

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Word: Incongruity

Part of Speech: Noun

Basic Definition: Incongruity is when something doesn’t fit well or doesn’t match with something else. It often refers to a situation where things are inappropriate or disagree with each other.

Usage Instructions:

• Incongruity is used when talking about things that seem out of place or do not belong together.
• It can describe situations, actions, or even ideas that clash or are inconsistent.

Example Sentence:

• The bright red sports car parked next to the old, rusty bicycle created a funny incongruity.

Advanced Usage:

• In literature, incongruity can be used as a literary device to create humor or to highlight differences between characters or situations.

Word Variants:

• Incongruous (adjective): Describing something that is out of place or not suitable.
  • Example: His incongruous outfit made everyone laugh.
• Incongruously (adverb): In a way that is inconsistent or not in harmony.
  • Example: She incongruously wore a winter coat on a hot summer day.

Different Meanings:

• Incongruity can also refer to a lack of harmony or agreement in a more abstract sense, such as in ideas or beliefs.

Synonyms:

• Discrepancy
• Incompatibility
• Disagreement
• Mismatch
• Inconsistency

Idioms:

• "A fish out of water": This idiom describes someone who feels uncomfortable or out of place, similar to the idea of incongruity.

Phrasal Verbs:

While there aren’t direct phrasal verbs that relate specifically to "incongruity," you might encounter phrases like "stand out," which can imply a similar idea of something being noticeably different or out of place.

Academic

Noun

1. the quality of disagreeing; being unsuitable and inappropriate

Synonyms

• incongruousness