Home/Rootonym/Lacking qualifications or ability; incapable of making effective independent decisions (adjective)
Lacking qualifications or ability; incapable of making effective independent decisions (adjective)
USA Today Rootonym clue · 11 letters · last seen August 13, 2026
Answer
INCOMPETENT
The Root
PETmeans “attack, seek, ask”
In a sentence: Frank had to fire an INCOMPETENT worker who made five serious mistakes within two weeks.
About this clue
The Rootonym clue “Lacking qualifications or ability; incapable of making effective independent decisions (adjective)” has the answer INCOMPETENT (11 letters), built on the root PET, which means “attack, seek, ask”. See the full August 13, 2026 Rootonym puzzle for the other three words, or browse all Rootonym answers.