incomprehensive

Incomprehensive is an adjective meaning lacking a comprehensive or thorough quality. It describes a state of being incomplete or insufficiently inclusive, especially when referring to information, coverage, reasoning, or scholarship. The term arises from the prefix in- meaning “not” or “without” combined with the base word comprehensive. Though not frequently used in everyday speech, it is found in legal, academic, and technical writings to emphasize the disadvantages of partial information or analysis.

The root word comprehensive entered English from French comprehensive (comprehensive) in the early 17th century, with the meaning “covering all or nearly all elements.” Incomprehensive is a direct lexical opposite formed by adding the negating prefix in- in the 19th century. While comprehensive is often used to denote exhaustive or all‑encompassing, incomprehensive signals an inadequate or fragmented state.

In practice, incomprehensive is often paired with nouns such as "data set," "report," "analysis," or "law," to critique the scope of the material. For example, a legal brief might be labeled incomprehensive if it fails to cite all relevant statutes. In scientific reporting, an incomprehensive methodology section indicates a lack of detail in experimental procedures.

The word is rarely confused with incomprehensible, which describes something that is difficult to understand. In contrast, incomprehensive refers to insufficiency, not to difficulty.

Synonyms include partial, limited, insufficient, and patchy. Antonyms are comprehensive, exhaustive, and all‑encompassing.

The use of incomprehensive is primarily in formal writing. While it carries the same stress and inflection patterns as comprehensive, it often signals criticism or a call for greater completeness in the subject addressed.