adj · noun · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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/ˌɪn.ɪˈfɪʃ.ənt/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ɪʃənt
CMU ARPABET:IH2 N IH0 F IH1 SH AH0 N T
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Not efficient; not producing the effect intended or desired; inefficacious.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
Celery is an inefficient food.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adj
Meaning 2
Incapable of, or indisposed to, effective action; habitually slack or unproductive; effecting little or nothing.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
inefficient workers
an inefficient administrator
Jessica was terribly inefficient at cleaning, so her brother usually had to clean the whole room.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
A person who cannot or does not work efficiently.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
adjective
Meaning 4
not producing desired results; wasteful
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
an inefficient campaign against drugs
outdated and inefficient design and methods
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: efficient
5
adjective satellite
Meaning 5
lacking the ability or skill to perform effectively; inadequate
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
an ineffective administration
inefficient workers
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: ineffective
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *né Proto-Indo-European *n̥- Proto-Italic *n̥- Latin in-bor. Middle English in- English in- English efficient English inefficient From in- + efficient.
Across languages
Translations
27 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
безрезултатен
(bezrezultaten)
— not efficient; not producing the effect intended or desired
Bulgarian:
безполезен
(bezpolezen)
— not efficient; not producing the effect intended or desired
Czech:
neefektivní
— not efficient; not producing the effect intended or desired
Finnish:
tehoton
— not efficient; not producing the effect intended or desired
French:
inefficace
— not efficient; not producing the effect intended or desired
Irish:
neamhéifeachtúil
— not efficient; not producing the effect intended or desired
Italian:
inefficiente
— not efficient; not producing the effect intended or desired
Italian:
inadeguato
— not efficient; not producing the effect intended or desired
Italian:
inefficace
— not efficient; not producing the effect intended or desired
Polish:
niewydajny
— not efficient; not producing the effect intended or desired
Polish:
niewydolny
— not efficient; not producing the effect intended or desired
Portuguese:
ineficiente
— not efficient; not producing the effect intended or desired
Romanian:
neeficient
— not efficient; not producing the effect intended or desired
Romanian:
ineficient
— not efficient; not producing the effect intended or desired
Spanish:
ineficiente
— not efficient; not producing the effect intended or desired
Spanish:
ineficaz
— not efficient; not producing the effect intended or desired
Swedish:
ineffektiv
— not efficient; not producing the effect intended or desired
Turkish:
verimsiz
— not efficient; not producing the effect intended or desired
Bulgarian:
неспособен
(nesposoben)
— incapable of, or indisposed to, effective action
Bulgarian:
некадърен
(nekadǎren)
— incapable of, or indisposed to, effective action
Czech:
neschopný
— incapable of, or indisposed to, effective action
Finnish:
saamaton
— incapable of, or indisposed to, effective action
Finnish:
aikaansaamaton
— incapable of, or indisposed to, effective action
Ido:
nekapabla
— incapable of, or indisposed to, effective action
Italian:
a scartamento ridotto
— incapable of, or indisposed to, effective action
Swedish:
improduktiv
— incapable of, or indisposed to, effective action
Swedish:
verkningslös
— incapable of, or indisposed to, effective action
