Meaning & use
incommensurable
Last updated
So different in nature that comparison using a common standard is impossible.
See it in a sentence
Philosophers debated whether the two ethical systems were truly incommensurable or just difficult to compare.
The value of a childhood memory and the price of an object are incommensurable.
A note on using this word
Incommensurable is a precise, mostly academic term; don't confuse it with 'incommensurate,' which simply means 'out of proportion' or 'inadequate.'
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
commensurablecomparable
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