weaponized incompetence
- noun
- /ˈwɛpənaɪzd ɪnˈkɒmpɪtəns/
- Neologism
:
incompetencia armada
- She realized that his constant forgetfulness was actually a form of weaponized incompetence to avoid chores.
He can't handle criticism and get this one, he uses weaponized incompetence to get you to do things for him.
- He can't handle criticism and get this one, he uses weaponized incompetence to get you to do things for him.
Examples
-
The manager noticed that his employees were using weaponized incompetence to shift their responsibilities onto others.
-
In their relationship, he frequently displayed weaponized incompetence when it came to household tasks.
-
He can't handle criticism and get this one, he uses weaponized incompetence to get you to do things for him.
Synonyms
1
9.1
Pretending to be ill or injured to avoid work
1
7.9
Pretending to be worse in a game to win later
1
9.6
Avoiding work by pretending to be busy
Antonyms
How Manipulative
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase transparently combines 'weaponize' (to turn into a tool for attack) with 'incompetence' (lack of ability), so a learner can infer the general idea of using incapability as a tactic. However, the specific pragmatic sense—deliberately pretending to be unable to avoid responsibility—is a metaphorical, culturally specific use that may not be fully predictable to a B1 learner without exposure.
Etymology
Weaponized incompetence paints a simple picture: someone turns their incompetence (not being able to do a task) into a weapon by acting useless on purpose. That's why it means 'pretending you cannot do something to avoid responsibility'.