sheer incompetence

collocation in English

meaningsofsheerandincompetence

These words are often used together. Click on the links below to explore the meanings. Or,see other collocations withincompetence.
sheer
adjective
uk
/ʃɪər/us
/ʃɪr/
used to emphasize how very great, important, or powerful a quality or feeling is; ...
See more atsheer
incompetence
noun[U]
uk
/ɪnˈkɒm.pɪ.təns/us
/ɪnˈkɑːm.pə.t̬əns/
lack of ability to do something successfully or as it should ...
See more atincompetence

(Definition ofsheerandincompetencefrom theCambridge English Dictionary© Cambridge University Press)

Examplesofsheer incompetence

These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
However, it is also arguable how far what went wrong was due tosheerincompetence.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
There were horrendous problems because of thesheerincompetenceof the company, which seemed to have the local authority in an armlock.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
It is a strange mixture of insouciance, indifference, intransigence and, finally,sheerincompetence.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
We can, therefore, force a review of the procedure and find out what is the truth behind it: is it a conspiracy orsheerincompetence?
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
The suggestion was made repeatedly that the result of public ownership would besheerincompetenceon the part of the management.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
They have turned that problem into a crisis through their complacency, and the crisis into humiliation through theirsheerincompetence.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
The reason for this collapse of the housing programme is economic mismanagement, prejudice against home ownership andsheerincompetence.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
That is a mind-boggling triple whammy ofsheerincompetence.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
I do not know whether it issheerincompetence, lack of resources or muddle.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Onsheerincompetencethere is a good deal to be said this afternoon.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
One mistake is bad luck, two issheerincompetence.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
That is coming about not through some well rehearsed plan but out ofsheerincompetence.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Other problems are caused bysheerincompetenceand inefficiency.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Very few employers nowadays are in danger of going out of business, other than throughsheerincompetence.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Why talk of incomes rising with production if, throughsheerincompetence, you dare not allow production to rise?
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
It smacks ofsheerincompetence, which we do not want.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
I am afraid it is because ofsheerincompetenceand mismanagement.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
It is just another example of theirsheerincompetence.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
We are not a nation which is tottering on the brink of bankruptcy throughsheerincompetence.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Nothing is being done to alleviate the distress caused to many people bysheerincompetence.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
Want to learn more?
Go to the definition ofsheer
Go to the definition ofincompetence
See other collocations withincompetence