incompatible
adjective
in·com·pat·i·ble
ˌin-kəm-ˈpa-tə-bəl 
1
: not compatible: such as
a
: incapable of association or harmonious coexistence
incompatible colors
b
: unsuitable for use together because of undesirable chemical or physiological effects
incompatible drugs
c
: not both true
incompatible propositions
d
: incapable of blending into a stable homogeneous mixture
2
: incapable of being held by one person at one time
—used of offices that make conflicting demands on the holder
incompatible
noun
Examples of incompatible in a Sentence
This printer is incompatible with some PCs.
the committee's incompatible goals—develop new projects and cut costs—meant that they got very little accomplished
Recent Examples on the Web
Building new fracked gas infrastructure is incompatible with a livable future.
—
Laura Shindell, New York Daily News, 20 July 2025
What's more, some of the commercial outposts may be incompatible with Starship because of its enormous mass, which could overcome the ability of a relatively modest space station to control its orientation.
—Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 16 July 2025
Hate and mental illness fester in this culture because love and healing seem to be incompatible with profits.
—Aarushi Bhandari, The Conversation, 14 July 2025
Aside from munitions, there isn’t much of a trade opportunity between the two countries; the two economies are fundamentally incompatible.
—Andrei Lankov, Foreign Affairs, 8 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for incompatible
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.
Laura Shindell, New York Daily News, 20 July 2025
What's more, some of the commercial outposts may be incompatible with Starship because of its enormous mass, which could overcome the ability of a relatively modest space station to control its orientation.
—Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 16 July 2025
Hate and mental illness fester in this culture because love and healing seem to be incompatible with profits.
—Aarushi Bhandari, The Conversation, 14 July 2025
Aside from munitions, there isn’t much of a trade opportunity between the two countries; the two economies are fundamentally incompatible.
—Andrei Lankov, Foreign Affairs, 8 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for incompatible
Cite this Entry
“Incompatible.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/incompatible. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
incompatible
adjective
in·com·pat·i·ble
ˌin-kəm-ˈpat-ə-bəl
1
: not able to be brought together in harmony
their personalities were incompatible
incompatible colors
2
a
: not able to be used together
incompatible computer systems
b
: unsuitable for use together because of undesirable chemical or bodily effects
incompatible blood types
Medical Definition
incompatible
adjective
in·com·pat·i·ble
ˌin-kəm-ˈpat-ə-bəl
1
: unsuitable for use together because of chemical interaction or antagonistic physiological effects
incompatible drugs
2
of blood or serum
: unsuitable for use in a particular transfusion because of the presence of agglutinins that act against the recipient's red blood cells
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share