as in unsuccessful
not producing the desired result
inefficient measures to solve the problem of teenage smoking
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Recent Examples of inefficient
Four-year fixture Jaden Akins is tenacious, if inefficient.
—
Steven Louis Goldstein, The Athletic, 21 Feb. 2025
Managing multiple devices often means dealing with bulky, inefficient chargers that fail to meet the demands of modern technology.
—New Atlas, 17 Feb. 2025
An inefficient system means significant wait times and major computational expense.
—Steve Nadis, WIRED, 16 Feb. 2025
Investing more through these mechanisms will yield greater returns than recreating inefficient aid bureaucracies.
—Sean P. Brooks, Orlando Sentinel, 14 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inefficient
Steven Louis Goldstein, The Athletic, 21 Feb. 2025
Managing multiple devices often means dealing with bulky, inefficient chargers that fail to meet the demands of modern technology.
—New Atlas, 17 Feb. 2025
An inefficient system means significant wait times and major computational expense.
—Steve Nadis, WIRED, 16 Feb. 2025
Investing more through these mechanisms will yield greater returns than recreating inefficient aid bureaucracies.
—Sean P. Brooks, Orlando Sentinel, 14 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inefficient
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inefficient
Adjective
-
The two had been hired to kill Pino’s estranged wife, according to the FBI, though their attempts up to that point had been unsuccessful.—
Jay Weaver,
Miami Herald,
28 Feb. 2025
-
Stephanie played her shot in the dark (a 1 in 6 chance at safety in exchange for a vote), but was unsuccessful and the 38-year-old tech product lead living in Brooklyn was the first person to be voted out of Season 48.—
Emily DeLetter,
USA TODAY,
28 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Employees describe her as a poor leader and ineffective communicator who has zealously enacted Trump’s agenda.—
Eric Geller,
WIRED,
13 Mar. 2025
-
Instead, tariff revenues become entangled in bureaucratic structures, subject to administrative inefficiencies, delays, and ineffective allocation.—
Ali Hoss,
Forbes,
13 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Below, members of Forbes Technology Council share cybersecurity tools and initiatives that may not be as effective as they’re commonly believed to be—and in some cases, could even be counterproductive.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes,
7 Mar. 2025
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Almost everywhere Trump tried economic coercion against adversaries, the results were lackluster or counterproductive.—
Nicholas Mulder,
Foreign Affairs,
6 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Inefficient.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inefficient. Accessed 16 Mar. 2025.
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