incoherence

/ˌɪnkəʊˈhɪəɹəns/

//ˌɪnkəʊˈhɪəɹəns// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"incoherence" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“incoherence” is uncommon English (frequency #65,205 among 2,140 “I” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#65,205
frequency rank, English
2,140
“I” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - The quality of being incoherent.

Corpus desk

Index EN-incoherence · incoherence · English

incoherence · rank #65,205 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #65,205
  • LEN-MEGA 11 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,140
  • PHOTO-FINISH impudence

Nearest frequency peer: impudence (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Long-tail ranks near “incoherence”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “incoherence” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for incoherence
PropertyValue
Headwordincoherence
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌɪnkəʊˈhɪəɹəns/
Letters11
Frequency rank#65,205
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “incoherence” in English

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).incoherencefalls in this rarity band:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Rare peers in the same band: “impudence” (#65,204), “incompleteness” (#65,206), “impermanence” (#65,202). Among 2,140 “I” headwords, “incoherence” is #65,205. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

incoherence is uncommon English at frequency #65,205 among 2,140 “I” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˌɪnkəʊˈhɪəɹəns/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 4 senses are on record.

incoherence has no tracked misspelling variants, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From in- + coherence, formed on model of Italian incoerenza. The correct English form is incoherence, spelled I-N-C-O-H-E-R-E-N-C-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    The quality of being incoherent.
  2. 2
    The quality of being incoherent.
  3. 3
    Something incoherent; something that does not make logical sense or is not logically connected.
  4. 4
    Thinking or speech that is so disorganized that it is essentially inapprehensible to others.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how incoherence appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. HE DESCENDED, signifieth a voluntarie motion, where as the bodie dead hath neither WILL nor MOTION. […] Though therefore this exposition cannot be charged with falsitie, for Christ was trulie buried; yet may it not bee endured by reason of […] the improprietie and incoherence of the worde, that a deade corps should descend […]
  2. 1680, Henry Care, The History of the Damnable Popish Plot, London: B.R. et al., Chapter 23, Section 2, p. 327, […] the said Lane is prevailed with […] to prefer an Indictment against Dr. Oates, for attempting to commit upon him the horrid and detestable sin of Sodomy; but the Grand Jury, by reason of the incoherence and slightness of his Evidence, did not…

Etymology

From in- + coherence, formed on model of Italian incoerenza.

Synonyms

unintelligibility

Antonyms

coherence

This word in other languages

incoherencia(Español)incohérence(Français)Zusammenhanglosigkeit(Deutsch)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "incoherence"?
"incoherence" is spelled I-N-C-O-H-E-R-E-N-C-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌɪnkəʊˈhɪəɹəns/.
What does "incoherence" mean?
As a noun, "incoherence" means: The quality of being incoherent.
How do you pronounce "incoherence"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "incoherence" is /ˌɪnkəʊˈhɪəɹəns/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "incoherence"?
From in- + coherence, formed on model of Italian incoerenza. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "incoherence", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 11 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

genuineness#65,138lymphocytic#65,279maladaptive#65,284favouritism#65,112

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list