inconsistent

Everyday

1. Not staying the same; changing in quality or behaviour: an inconsistent player. tree →
2. Not agreeing or fitting together: two facts that are inconsistent with each other. tree →
3. (formal) Not following the same rules each time: inconsistent marking. tree →

In the lessons

In science, results that are inconsistent vary a lot, so you repeat the test; in maths and logic, statements that cannot both be true are inconsistent. In detective stories, a suspect's story is inconsistent with the clues. In sport, an inconsistent team plays well one week and badly the next. Phrases: inconsistent with, inconsistent results, wildly inconsistent.

Examples

• Our results were inconsistent, so we repeated the experiment. tree →
• His story was inconsistent with the footprints. tree →
• The team has been inconsistent all season. tree →
• The rules were applied in an inconsistent way, which felt unfair. tree →
• My handwriting is inconsistent: neat at first, messy at the end. tree →
• Saying «I never lie» and then lying is inconsistent. tree →
• The numerous traditions which have gathered around the original idea vary to some extent according to their locality, but they are never radically inconsistent. tree →

Note

Followed by «with»: «inconsistent with the facts». Opposite: «consistent». In maths, a set of equations with no solution is called inconsistent.