incongruity Definition
the state of being incongruous or out of keeping.
Using incongruity: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "incongruity" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The incongruity between his words and actions was striking.
Example
The incongruity of the situation made her laugh.
Example
There is an incongruity between the company's image and its actual practices.
incongruity Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms for incongruity
Antonyms for incongruity
Phrases with incongruity
a psychological principle that humor arises from the unexpected pairing of two seemingly unrelated ideas or objects
Example
The comedian used the incongruity principle to create laughter in his audience.
a theory of humor that suggests that humor arises when there is a violation of our expectations or when things are not as they should be
Example
The incongruity theory explains why we find jokes funny.
a theory of humor that suggests that humor arises when we resolve the tension created by the incongruity between what we expect and what actually happens
Example
The incongruity resolution theory explains why we feel relief after a punchline is delivered.
Summary: incongruity in Brief
Incongruity [ˌɪnkənˈɡruːɪti] refers to the state of being out of keeping or inconsistent. It is often used to describe a mismatch or discrepancy between two things, such as words and actions or image and practices. The incongruity principle and incongruity theory are psychological concepts that explain how humor arises from unexpected pairings or violations of expectations.