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incongruously

incongruously

3 7.9
In a way that seems out of place for the situation
  • adverb
  • /ɪnˈkɒŋɡruəsli/
translation icon : incongruentemente
  • The bright pink house looked incongruously out of place among the gray buildings of the old neighborhood.
  • sits incongruously
  • perched incongruously
  • stood incongruously

Examples

  • Leila, incongruously attired in a sexy nightgown and socks, emerges from the bathroom brushing her teeth.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • Parked incongruously in front of the house is a brand new red Corvette.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • A take-out pizza sits incongruously on the coffee table.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • Long, narrow windows showered the room with incongruously bright sunlight.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • The winter stars of Orion and Taurus shone incongruously in June.

  • Down this boulevard of decay and despair drives an incongruously expensive car—a Range Rover.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • She laughed incongruously during the serious meeting, making everyone uncomfortable.

  • The elegant ball gown seemed incongruously formal for a backyard barbecue.

Synonyms

strangely
vsincongruously
190 3.2

In an unusual or unexpected way

means being out of place or not harmonious rather than just unusual
oddly
vsincongruously
150 3.4

In a strange or unexpected way

stresses disharmony or impropriety rather than mere strangeness
improperly
vsincongruously
49 3.4

In a way that is wrong or not suitable for the situation

focuses on seeming out of place or not fitting expectations
inappropriately
vsincongruously
45 4.5

In a way that is not right for the situation

stresses being out of place or not in harmony rather than just unsuitable
weirdly
vsincongruously
35 3.5

In a strange or unexpected way

highlights being inappropriate or mismatched rather than simply bizarre
uncannily
vsincongruously
5 6.9

In a way that is strange, surprising, and hard to explain

focuses on being out of place or unsuitable not on eerie surprise
peculiarly
vsincongruously
3 6.2

In a strange way that people notice

refers to being out of harmony or unsuitable rather than merely atypical
anomalously
vsincongruously
1 8.2

In a way that is not normal or expected

puts emphasis on being inappropriate or not fitting the surroundings
eccentrically
vsincongruously
1 7.3

In a way that is different from what most people expect

means seeming inappropriate or mismatched in the setting rather than chosen oddity
incongruently
vsincongruously
7.5

In a way that does not fit or match something else

emphasizes seeming improper or not in harmony with surroundings
indecorously
vsincongruously
  • Formal
8.7

In a way that shows bad manners

highlights being out of harmony with surroundings rather than bad manners
infelicitously
vsincongruously
  • Formal
9.9

In an awkward or wrong way that causes trouble

focuses on being out of place or mismatched rather than awkwardness

Antonyms

congruently
  • Specialized
5.9

In a way that matches another thing in form or purpose

How Incongruous

bizarrely
12 4.4
incongruously
3 7.9
strangely
190 3.2
oddly
150 3.4

Surface Forms

incongruously positive

Morphology

incongruously = incongruous (transparent) = in + congruous + ly

The adverb is formed in the regular way from the adjective 'incongruous' with '-ly' and means 'in an incongruous way'.

Etymology

Incongruously begins with in- meaning 'not' and the rest comes from congruous, which means 'matching' or 'agreeing'. So, to do something incongruously is to do it in a way that does 'not match' the place or what people expect, like bright party clothes at a serious ceremony.