ineffective
Americanadjective
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not effective; not producing results; ineffectual.
ineffective efforts; ineffective remedies.
-
inefficient or incompetent; incapable.
an ineffective manager.
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lacking in artistic effect, as a literary work, theatrical production, or painting.
adjective
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having no effect
-
incompetent or inefficient
Other Word Forms
- ineffectively adverb
- ineffectiveness noun
Etymology
Origin of ineffective
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Fernandez signed a guilty plea to life without the possibility of parole but later filed a resentencing petition, arguing that she was coerced into the plea and that her state-appointed defense attorney provided ineffective counsel.
From Los Angeles Times
She said due to ineffective responses from school leaders, there were too many occasions when teaching and learning were being disrupted.
From BBC
If Iranian defenses influenced by Chinese technology prove ineffective against U.S. and Israeli forces, countries considering Chinese weapons will take notice.
Hurt by turnovers, an ineffective full-court press and a failure to hustle back, Sylmar gave up 14 consecutive baskets on layups and found itself trailing 77-56 early in the fourth quarter.
From Los Angeles Times
Hiding under a desk would have been ineffective, but it broke up the school routine.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
