inconsistency
inconsistency — noun
- inconsistencysingular
- inconsistenciesplural
1. when facts, ideas, or statements do not match each other, so that it is impossib
when facts, ideas, or statements do not match each other, so that it is impossible for all of them to be correct at once
Aoi noticed an inconsistency between the witness's two statements about the time of the accident.
inconsistency between [X] and [Y]
There were several inconsistencies in Gabriel's report that the manager asked him to fix.
inconsistencies in [report/data]
An obvious inconsistency in the voting records forced the committee to hold the election again.
Zola realised the inconsistency between the two contracts meant someone had made a serious error.
- contradiction
stronger and more absolute — a direct opposition, not just a lack of agreement
- discrepancy
more neutral and often used for measurable differences in numbers or amounts
- conflict
suggests active opposition or incompatibility, often between interests or duties
- consistency
the opposite quality — when things match or stay the same
文法句型
inconsistency between [plural nouns]
inconsistency in [noun phrase]
用法筆記
Frequently followed by 'between' when comparing two things, or 'in' when locating the disagreement within something. Countable when referring to a specific instance (several inconsistencies), uncountable when describing the general quality (there was inconsistency in the data).
常見錯誤
2. the tendency of a person or thing to change in behaviour, performance, or qualit
the tendency of a person or thing to change in behaviour, performance, or quality, making it difficult to rely on them
Heloísa stopped buying from that brand because of the inconsistency in product quality.
inconsistency in [quality/performance]
The team's inconsistency on the field frustrated the coach and disappointed the fans.
Caleb could not rely on the bus schedule because of its daily inconsistency.
The inconsistency of the internet made it hard for Linh to finish the online class.
- unpredictability
more general — can describe anything uncertain; inconsistency implies a negative pattern of change
- unreliability
focuses on the result of being untrustworthy rather than the changing behaviour itself
- variability
more neutral — describes natural or expected change, not necessarily a flaw
- consistency
the quality of staying the same in a dependable way
- dependability
the quality of being trustworthy and reliable over time
文法句型
inconsistency of [noun phrase]
inconsistency in [noun phrase]
用法筆記
Only uncountable in this sense — you cannot say 'an inconsistency' to mean a moment of unpredictable behaviour. This sense is used with people's behaviour, performance, or the quality of a process or product.