What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
incompetent
Example
The new employee was incompetent and made many mistakes. [incompetent: adjective]
Example
The company suffered financial losses due to the incompetence of its management. [incompetence: noun]
inept
Example
The chef was inept and burned the food. [inept: adjective]
Example
The politician's inept handling of the crisis led to public outrage. [ineptitude: noun]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Incompetent is more commonly used than inept in everyday language, and is more versatile in its usage.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between incompetent and inept?
Both incompetent and inept are considered formal words and are used in professional or academic contexts to describe a lack of ability or skill.
