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Incompetence vs Negligence - What's the difference?

incompetence | negligence |

As nouns the difference between incompetence and negligence

is that incompetence is inability to perform; lack of competence; ineptitude while negligence is the state of being negligent.

incompetence

English

Noun

(-)
  • Inability to perform; lack of competence; ineptitude.
  • * 1851:
  • ... at the head of a crew, too, chiefly made up of mongrel renegades, and castaways, and cannibals--morally enfeebled also, by the incompetence of mere unaided virtue or right-mindedness in Starbuck
  • * 1949:
  • Winston did not know why Withers had been disgraced. Perhaps it was for corruption or incompetence . Perhaps Big Brother was merely getting rid of a too-popular subordinate.
  • * 1974:
  • The factory where she worked was a poisonous mass of incompetence , favoritism, and sabotage.

    negligence

    English

    Noun

    (en-noun)
  • The state of being negligent.
  • (legal, singulare tantum) The tort whereby a duty of reasonable care was breached, causing damage: any conduct short of intentional or reckless action that falls below the legal standard for preventing unreasonable injury.
  • (legal, uncountable) The breach of a duty of care: the failure to exercise a standard of care that a reasonable person would have in a similar situation.
  • Usage notes

    * The breach of a duty of care is one element of the tort of negligence, but is also called (term); one must therefore take care to clarify what is meant.