WordGarden.ioincoherent
B2Pronunciation
UK
- /ɪnkəʊhˈiərənt/
US
- /ˌɪnkoʊˈhɪrənt/
Meanings
Adjective
unclear or not logically connected in speech, writing, or ideas
unable to speak clearly because of confusion, illness, emotion, or intoxication
describing waves or radiation that lack a fixed phase relationship
Beyond the definition
When something is all jumbled up and hard to follow, it is incoherent. This often shows up in speech or writing: the words are there, but they do not connect in a clear way. A person might speak this way after a blow to the head, during a high fever, or when they are deeply upset. A piece of writing can feel the same way if it jumps around and never forms a clear point. It does not always mean the person is lying; it simply means the message is not coming through clearly. Think of a dream: vivid in the moment, but hard to tell in a way that makes sense later.
The word "incoherent" describes something that lacks clarity or logical connection. It can apply to speech, writing, thoughts, or even actions. When something is incoherent, it is difficult, or sometimes impossible, to understand because the parts do not fit together in a meaningful way.
You might describe a rambling, disjointed story as "incoherent," meaning it jumps from topic to topic without making sense. A witness statement filled with contradictions and confusion could be deemed "incoherent." It's important to note that incoherence isn't necessarily about intelligence; someone can be very intelligent but speak incoherently due to illness, shock, or extreme fatigue.
Historically, "coherent" (the opposite of incoherent) comes from the Latin cohaerere, meaning "to stick together." So something coherent is well-connected and logically structured, while something incoherent falls apart.
Consider a detective trying to piece together clues: if the evidence does not connect, it forms an incoherent picture. Or imagine a musician playing random notes with no pattern; that would be an incoherent melody.
So, when something lacks internal consistency or logical flow, when it does not "stick together," it can be described as incoherent. The word points to a breakdown in clear communication or clear thought.
Examples
- 1
Interview
By the end of the interview, his answers were becoming incoherent.
- 2
Email
The email was so incoherent that nobody knew what action to take.
- 3
Presentation
Her presentation started well, but the middle section was incoherent and hard to follow.
- 4
Too confused
He was exhausted and too incoherent to tell us where he lived.
- Patterntoo incoherent to + verb
so confused or unclear that you cannot do it
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Accident aftermath
After the accident, she was conscious but incoherent.
- 6
Film story
The film has great actors, but the story is incoherent.
See also
Similar
Shades of meaning
Contrast
Used with (collocations)
- incoherent speech
- incoherent argument
- incoherent explanation
- become incoherent
Word family
Explore
- logical flow
- clarity
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- incoherentadjective