Meaning & use

incongruity

noun·Advanced

A lack of harmony or agreement between things that seem odd or out of place together.

See it in a sentence

There was a strange incongruity between his cheerful tone and the grim news he delivered.

The incongruity of a fast-food restaurant inside a centuries-old castle struck every visitor.

A note on using this word

Incongruity highlights a jarring or unexpected mismatch, often used to explain why something seems humorous, strange, or unsettling.

Words with a similar meaning

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Words with an opposite meaning

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