in·con·sist·ent / ˌinkənˈsistənt/ • adj. not staying the same throughout; having self-contradictory elements: police interpretation of the law was often inconsistent. ∎  acting at variance with one's own principles or former conduct: parents can become inconsistent and lacking in control over their children. ∎  (inconsistent with) not compatible or in keeping with: he had done nothing inconsistent with his morality. ∎  erratic in behavior or action: we're too inconsistent to win the league.DERIVATIVES: in·con·sist·ent·ly adv.

inconsistent If a knowledge base uses default assumptions or stores tentative conclusions then, as a result of inference, it may produce new facts that conflict with existing facts; it is then said to be inconsistent. This can occur in nonmonotonic reasoning and systems that use inheritance and must be either avoided or handled by special treatment if the integrity of the system is to be maintained. See default rules.

INCONSISTENT

Reciprocally contradictory or repugnant.

Things are said to be inconsistent when they are contrary to each other to the extent that one implies the negation of the other. For example, a city ordinance might be inconsistent with a state statute; or two defenses to a crime, such as the defenses of alibi and self-defense, are inconsistent.