inefficient

[ in-i-fish-uhnt ]
See synonyms for: inefficientinefficiently on Thesaurus.com

adjective
  1. not efficient; unable to effect or achieve the desired result with reasonable economy of means.

  2. lacking in ability, incompetent.

Origin of inefficient

1
First recorded in 1740–50; in-3 + efficient

synonym study For inefficient

2. See incapable.

Other words from inefficient

  • in·ef·fi·cient·ly, adverb

Words Nearby inefficient

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use inefficient in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for inefficient

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 of inefficient

  • inefficiency, noun
  • inefficiently, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012