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Negligent vs Incompetent - What's the difference?

negligent | incompetent |

As adjectives the difference between negligent and incompetent

is that negligent is negligent (culpable due to negligence) while incompetent is incompetent.

negligent

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Careless, without appropriate or sufficient attention.
  • (legal) Culpable due to negligence.

    • Synonyms

    * See also

    Related terms

    * negligence ----

    incompetent

    English

    Adjective

    (head)
  • Unskilled, lacking normally expected degree of ability.
    • Having an incompetent lawyer may be grounds for a retrial, but the lawyer in question probably doesn't know that.
  • Unable to make rational decisions, insane or otherwise cognitively impaired.
    • The charged was judged incompetent to stand trial, at least until his medication started working.

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Usage notes

    The form incompetent of , as in "I am incompetent of doing anything!" is heard (US). It is incorrect, the intended word is incapable.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A person who is incompetent.