What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
anachronism
Example
The movie had several anachronisms, including characters using cell phones in the 1800s. [anachronisms: noun]
Example
The author made an anachronistic reference to a modern invention in her historical novel. [anachronistic: adjective]
incongruity
Example
The sight of a clown at a funeral created an incongruity that made everyone uncomfortable. [incongruity: noun]
Example
The serious tone of the meeting was disrupted by the incongruous sound of a ringtone. [incongruous: adjective]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Incongruity is more commonly used than anachronism in everyday language. Incongruity is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while anachronism is less common and is typically used in historical or literary contexts.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between anachronism and incongruity?
Both anachronism and incongruity are formal words, but anachronism is more specialized and is typically used in academic or literary contexts, while incongruity can be used in both formal and informal contexts.
