incoherent

adjective

: lacking coherence: such as
a
: lacking normal clarity or intelligibility in speech or thought
incoherent with grief
b
: lacking orderly continuity, arrangement, or relevance : inconsistent
an incoherent essay
c
: lacking cohesion : loose
incoherently adverb

Did you know?

Something that is coherent holds or sticks together firmly, with resistance to separation (that is, it coheres). Coherent, ultimately from the Latin co- ("together") and haerēre ("to stick or cling"), entered English in the 16th century and almost from the beginning was used both of physical things ("coherent stone") and of things which hold together in a much less palpable way ("coherent thoughts"). Its antonym, incoherent, entered the language some decades later. Like coherent, incoherent can be applied to both the tangible and the intangible. But, whether we are speaking of sand or logic, all things incoherent have one thing in common: they do not hold together, literally or figuratively, in a unified or intelligible whole.

Examples of incoherent in a Sentence

The fever made her incoherent. He was very upset and practically incoherent after the accident. The memo is completely incoherent.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
His political views — or what are known of them — are contradictory if not incoherent. Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 June 2025 Tom’s latest vehicle for death-defying stunts and — at this point — incoherent technobabble pits him against the AI from Dead Reckoning again. Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 23 May 2025 The film’s incoherent timeline will later suggest that the virus has already been ravaging France for several years by this point, which only raises more questions about Alpha’s choice of body art. David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 19 May 2025 Without a vigorous system of checks and balances, one man’s crank ideas—like starting an incoherent trade war that upends the global economy—don’t get filtered out. Ava Kofman, New Yorker, 2 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for incoherent

Word History

First Known Use

1599, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of incoherent was in 1599

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Cite this Entry

“Incoherent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/incoherent. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

incoherent

adjective
1
: not sticking closely or compactly together : loose
2
: not clearly or logically connected
told an incoherent story
3
: not clear or understandable in speech or thought
incoherent with grief
incoherently adverb

Medical Definition

incoherent

adjective
: lacking clarity or intelligibility usually by reason of some emotional stress
incoherent speech
incoherently adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on incoherent

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