inefficient

[ in-i-fish-uhnt ]

adjective

1. not efficient; unable to effect or achieve the desired result with reasonable economy of means.
2. lacking in ability, incompetent.

inefficient

/ ˌɪnɪˈfɪʃənt /

adjective

1. unable to perform a task or function to the best advantage; wasteful or incompetent
2. unable to produce the desired result

Derived Forms

• ˌinefˈficiently, adverb
• ˌinefˈficiency, noun

Other Words From

• inef·ficient·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of inefficient¹

First recorded in 1740–50; in- ³ + efficient

Synonym Study

See incapable.

Example Sentences

Execs also believe that speed as well as fewer in-person meetings will remain as flying across the country when you know you can get something done over Zoom may be seen as inefficient and unnecessarily expensive now.

From Digiday

The IEA notes that the best technology available is more than twice as efficient as the average of what’s actually in use around the world, and three times better than the most inefficient products on the market.

From MIT Technology Review

Up until this capture, we’d placed our noose carpets along the riverbank in areas we hoped the owls would land, which was inefficient.

From Popular-Science

It is economically inefficient to preserve jobs in companies that are unlikely to survive the structural changes of the fourth industrial revolution.

From Fortune

In fact, in some ways, Xi Jinping himself was picked because of the party’s fear that, in the period after SARS, it was losing control of parts of society because it was seen as corrupt, as inefficient, as incompetent.

From Freakonomics

In response to hearing her story, Uber apologized for the "inefficient route" and partially refunded her fare.

From The Daily Beast

Woman claims Uber driver kidnapped her, Uber claims "inefficient route."

From The Daily Beast

This welfare spending discourages work, increases taxes, and operates as a hidden and inefficient subsidy to low-wage businesses.

From The Daily Beast

Bureaucracies are inefficient and dishonest—maybe not intentionally . . . but because there are too many moving parts.

From The Daily Beast

The disappearance of one flight and shooting down of another has pushed the inefficient carrier to the brink of collapse.

From The Daily Beast

The use of grout is, therefore, a sign of inefficient workmanship, and should not be countenanced in good work.

From Project Gutenberg

They continued to be of some service to the community in the inefficient condition of the public police.

From Project Gutenberg

The last governor was kind, but inefficient, and some months ago was sent to the West Indies, where he is officially buried.

From Project Gutenberg

Was our devotion paid to the wretched, inefficient, clumsy contrivance, which this new doctrine would make it?

From Project Gutenberg

Napoleon's Council of State, touched with tenderness towards erring women, was quite inefficient.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• disorganized
• faulty
• feeble
• incompetent
• ineffective
• ineffectual
• inept
• sloppy
• weak