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What would be the correct adjective in English to describe something in which its constituent parts don't agree with and don't correspond to each other?

For example, the dance routine didn't correspond to the chosen music, and neither music, nor the dance went along with the slogan for the overall school's performance. So you would say, "This class's performance was absolutely ______________________."

2 Answers 2

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It was a hodgepodge (of themes and styles).

It know it's a noun, but it directly means that nothing matches anything else, whereas "shambolic" just means disorganized or falling apart.

There's no adjectival form of hodgepodge that I know of.

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It was a shambles.

A shambles is a state of chaotic disorder. It would imply the lack of organisation or consistency described in your example.

The derived adjective is "shambolic"

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  • interesting etymology, from "low bench or stool used for displaying produce" to "market in which produce is displayed on benches" to specifically "meat market", to its modern sense.
    – James K
    Nov 21, 2022 at 7:20
  • Thank you. Would it be okay to say "The performance was absolutely a shambles"?
    – brilliant
    Nov 21, 2022 at 7:29
  • The performance was absolutely shambolic.
    – Sam
    Nov 21, 2022 at 7:39
  • @Sam but is it also okay to say "was absolutely a shambles"?
    – brilliant
    Nov 21, 2022 at 7:46
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    I would probably say "It was an absolute shambles". Nov 21, 2022 at 11:35

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