incongruous
/ɪnˈkɒŋɡruəs/ (bre, ipa) · /ɪnˈkɑːŋɡruəs/ (ame, ipa) · /(ˌ)in-ˈkäŋ-grə-wəs/ (ame, mw)
incongruous — adjective
- incongruouspositive
- more incongruouscomparative
- most incongruoussuperlative
1. describing something that seems strange or surprising because it does not match
describing something that seems strange or surprising because it does not match the things, people, or situation around it
Mei-Lin's formal dress looked incongruous among the jeans and T-shirts at the outdoor party.
pattern: incongruous among + [plural group]
The tall glass office building seemed incongruous next to the old brick houses on that street.
Chitra found it incongruous that the serious meeting began with a funny cartoon video.
It felt incongruous to hear cheerful pop music at a ceremony meant for remembering lost loved ones.
Amara's bright new sofa looked incongruous in her grandmother's dark, old-fashioned living room.
- out of place
more common and less formal; used in everyday speech
- inappropriate
stronger judgment — implies something is wrong or unsuitable, not just visually mismatched
- odd
broader meaning; can mean simply unusual without the sense of mismatch
- incompatible
more technical; suggests two things cannot work together or exist together
- fitting
naturally suitable for the situation
- appropriate
correct or right for the circumstances
- harmonious
visually or naturally in agreement with surroundings
文法句型
incongruous among/next to/in/with + noun phrase
link verb + incongruous
find + object + incongruous
用法筆記
Often used with prepositions like 'among', 'next to', 'in', or 'with' to show what the mismatch is with. Also common in the patterns 'find something incongruous' and 'seem/look/appear incongruous'. This is a formal to neutral word; in casual conversation, 'out of place' is more common.