Incompetent
Incompetent adjective - Lacking qualities (as knowledge, skill, or ability) required to do a job.
Usage example: an incompetent carpenter had built the deck, and the railings were loose already
Useless is a synonym for incompetent in unskillful topic. In some cases you can use "Useless" instead an adjective "Incompetent", when it comes to topics like inept. informal substitute
Nearby Words: incompetence, incompetently
Useless
Useless adjective - Not capable of being put to use or account.
Incompetent is a synonym for useless in not working topic. You can use "Incompetent" instead an adjective "Useless".
Mutual synonyms
Related pairs
- inexpert and incompetent
- inexpert and useless
- inept and incompetent
- inept and useless
- unfit and incompetent
- unfit and useless
- inefficient and incompetent
- inefficient and useless
- inadequate and incompetent
- inadequate and useless
- helpless and incompetent
- helpless and useless
- weak and incompetent
- weak and useless
Both words in one sentence
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While he's far from useless or incompetent, he's greedy to the point of almost starting a war.
Source: Video Game / Freedom Planet - This one was simply insulting: Brown portrayed the Spanish health care system as useless and incompetent; in fact, it is ranked 7th in the World by the WHO (for comparison, the USA's is 37th).
Source: Dan Browned / Dan Brown - The Grand Finale reveals that when Dwight becomes regional manager he actually fires the incompetent and useless people like Kevin and Toby and the branch becomes much more efficient as a result.
Source: Ultimate Job Security
Cite this Source
Useless and Incompetent. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/incompetent/useless
Incompetent & Useless. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/incompetent/useless>.
Useless or Incompetent. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/incompetent/useless.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "incompetent" and "useless" have occurred on timeline