inefficacy

[ in-ef-i-kuh-see ]

noun

1. lack of power or capacity to produce the desired effect.

Word History and Origins

Origin of inefficacy¹

From the Late Latin word inefficācia, dating back to 1605–15. See in- ³, efficacy

Example Sentences

The inefficacy of Operation Lone Star may not matter much to Abbott, who created the program as a political stunt to challenge the Biden’s administration’s ostensibly lax border enforcement.

From Slate

The process is often triggered by post-approval studies showing inefficacy, according to Harvard Law professor I. Glenn Cohen.

From Reuters

In his annual State of the Union address last month, he pinned blame for the conflict on the “Kyiv regime and its Western masters” and snarled defiance over the supposed inefficacy of Western attempts to isolate Russia’s economy.

From Washington Post

He seemed to think he could figure this out, make the kind of adjustment he has made so many times before in a career defined by his ability to stave off long stretches of inefficacy.

From Washington Post

Some experts have said that China’s “zero Covid” strategy — involving sealing borders, mass testing and snap lockdowns — has been necessary in part because of the inefficacy of China’s own vaccines, which use a century-old method for inoculation.

From New York Times