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incoherent
/ˌɪnkoʊˈhɪərənt/
not clear or logical
His speech was so incoherent that no one understood his point.
His speech was so unclear and illogical that it failed to convey any meaningful message.
formal
expressed in a confusing or unclear way; lacking logical order or consistency
The witness gave an incoherent account of the events, making it difficult for the jury to follow.
The witness's confusing and inconsistent testimony hindered the jury's ability to reconstruct the incident.
After the accident, the driver was incoherent and unable to explain what happened.
The driver's rambling and disjointed speech indicated confusion and an inability to articulate the events clearly.
Often used to describe speech, writing, or behavior that is difficult to understand due to a lack of clear structure or logic.
technical
not consistent or unified; lacking cohesion
The patient's incoherent thoughts were a symptom of their severe anxiety disorder.
The patient's fragmented and disjointed thought patterns reflected their mental health condition.
In psychology, 'incoherent' describes mental states where ideas are not logically connected, often seen in disorders like schizophrenia or severe stress.
Collocations
incoherent speechunclear or illogical spoken wordsincoherent argumenta poorly structured or illogical reasoning processincoherent behavioractions that lack logical consistency or order
Pro Tip
Avoid overusing 'incoherent'
While 'incoherent' is useful for describing unclear speech or writing, it can sound overly critical. Consider alternatives like 'confused,' 'unclear,' or 'disjointed' depending on the context.
Gold Rule
Use 'incoherent' for logical inconsistency
Reserve 'incoherent' for situations where ideas, speech, or behavior lack logical order or clarity. Do not use it to describe physical messiness or emotional states (e.g., 'She was incoherent after the news' is incorrect; use 'distraught' instead).
Word Origin
From Latin *incohaerens*, present participle of *incohaerere* (to be unfinished, to fail to adhere), from *in-* (not) + *cohaerere* (to stick together, cohere). First recorded in English in the early 17th century.
Usage Notes
Commonly used in both formal and technical contexts, particularly in psychology, law, and general communication. Avoid using it to describe physical objects or systems unless referring to their logical structure (e.g., 'an incoherent design').
Word Breakdown
in-
not
prefixco-
together
root-herent
to stick
rootEnglish Dictionary