When a person acts like they have no idea how to do something even though they definitely do. They do this so that later on they can act like they're the master at either to impress someone or get praise. Also known as strategic incompetence
"I don't know how to do that, you do it"
"Stop lying, everyone knows how to change a tire, weaponized incompetence is why you have no girlfriend"
"Fine, (murmurs cartoon profanities)"
"Stop lying, everyone knows how to change a tire, weaponized incompetence is why you have no girlfriend"
"Fine, (murmurs cartoon profanities)"
by HumongousBazongas AvadaKedavra December 21, 2021
Something your dad accuses you of when he has to go get off his ass and do something for once in his goddamn life that someone else is not good at
Person 1: Can you make noodles? Last time I tried I burned myself.
Person 2: Goddman. Weaponized Incompetence
Person 1: ok bud
Person 2: Goddman. Weaponized Incompetence
Person 1: ok bud
by raccoonthemobboss May 10, 2024
When someone does a simple task requested of them badly on purpose so they seem too incompetent to do said task, thus ensuring nothing is ever asked of them again.
Jill: "Will you do *insert simple task here*?"
Jack: "Ugh, I guess." *Does it wrong so she feels that she can't trust him to do it right*
Jill: *Sees the horrible job jack did* "Oh.. I guess I should just do it myself next time.."
Jack: "Great! Weaponized incompetence works!"
Jill: "... What..?"
Jack: "Ugh, I guess." *Does it wrong so she feels that she can't trust him to do it right*
Jill: *Sees the horrible job jack did* "Oh.. I guess I should just do it myself next time.."
Jack: "Great! Weaponized incompetence works!"
Jill: "... What..?"
by ExplodingStrawberries November 09, 2024
A term used by bad managers and by friends, family members, and romantic partners alike in circumstances where they want somebody else to do things their way but they do not want to properly communicate what their way is (or where they are happy to wax on about frivolous details but never justify why said details would actually matter to anyone else).
They will describe whoever is doing a sufficiently poor job reading their minds as incompetent, and if they suspect you are doing a poor job specifically so that they'll have to meet their own ineffable requirements (if you want something done "right", do it yourself) then they will call it "weaponized" incompetence.
In their minds the term means "feigning not being good at a task to get out of doing it" but in practice such a campaign could only ever work when there's only one person who has skin in the game for the task to be done in a certain way to begin with.
They will describe whoever is doing a sufficiently poor job reading their minds as incompetent, and if they suspect you are doing a poor job specifically so that they'll have to meet their own ineffable requirements (if you want something done "right", do it yourself) then they will call it "weaponized" incompetence.
In their minds the term means "feigning not being good at a task to get out of doing it" but in practice such a campaign could only ever work when there's only one person who has skin in the game for the task to be done in a certain way to begin with.
"Don't you even know how to make me a sandwich? The pickles have to go on top of the provolone, and the mustard and mayonaise should never touch. You didn't even cut off the crust, and who slices a sandwich lengthwise? It *must* be diagonal! Fine, I'll make my own damned sandwich, but I swear you do this on purpose just to avoid doing it the right way. It's weaponized incompetence! *huff*"
by Happ MacDonald April 09, 2024