inept

1 lacking qualities (as knowledge, skill, or ability) required to do a job <a well-meaning but inept secretary who can't seem to keep the boss's appointments straight> Synonyms inapt, incapable, incompetent, inexpert, unable, unfit, unfitted, unqualified, unskilled, unskillfulRelated Words ineffective, ineffectual, inefficient; amateurish, callow, dilettantish, green, inexperienced, raw, unprofessional; unequipped, unprepared, untrained; useless, worthless; disqualified, ineligible; wantingNear Antonyms prepared, ready, trained; overqualified; accomplished, ace, adept, consummate, crack, experienced, practiced (also practised), seasoned, veteran, virtuoso; all-around (also all-round), protean, versatileAntonyms able, capable, competent, expert, fit, qualified, skilled, skillful, ultracompetent

2 not appropriate for a particular occasion or situation <an inept comparison between nursing-home residents and day-care children that many found offensive> Synonyms amiss, graceless, improper, inapposite, inapt, incongruous, incorrect, indecorous, inappropriate, infelicitous, malapropos, perverse, unapt, unbecoming, unfit, unhappy, unseemly, unsuitable, untoward, wrongRelated Words inopportune, unfortunate, unseasonable, untimely; extraneous, immaterial, inapplicable, irrelative, irrelevant; misbecoming, mismatched; incompatible, inconsistent, uncongenial; bad, naughty, sinful; blamable, blameworthy, censurable; banned, barred, disallowed; forbidden, interdicted, outlawed, prohibited, proscribed; awkward, gauche, ungraceful; unacceptable, unsatisfactoryNear Antonyms fortunate, opportune, seasonable, timely; applicable, apposite, apropos, apt, germane, material, pat, pointed, relative, relevant; compatible, congenial, harmonious; allowed, authorized, permitted; approved, endorsed (also indorsed), kosher, licensed, sanctioned; abetted, encouraged, promoted, supported; acceptable, adequate, all right, decent, fine, OK (or okay), passable, respectable, satisfactory, tolerable; commendable, creditable, exemplary; blameless, irreproachable; balanced, companionate, congruous, consonant, harmoniousAntonyms appropriate, becoming, befitting, correct, decorous, felicitous, fit, fitting, genteel, happy, meet, proper, right, seemly, suitable

3 showing or marked by a lack of skill and tact (as in dealing with a situation) <an inept effort to become friends with their future son-in-law> Synonyms botched, bungling, clumsy, fumbled, awkward, inexpert, maladroitRelated Words amateur, amateurish, crude, green, incompetent, ineffectual, inefficient, inexperienced, unpolished, unprofessional, unskilled, unskillful; careless, sloppy, tacky, tactless, undiplomatic; ill-advised, ineffective, ineffectual, misdirected, misguidedNear Antonyms able, accomplished, adept, capable, clever, competent, consummate, crackerjack, expert, masterful, masterly, polished, professional, proficient, skilled, skillful, talented; diplomatic, easy, effortless, gracious, smooth, tactfulAntonyms adroit, deft, dexterous (also dextrous), facile

4 showing or marked by a lack of good sense or judgment <she offers one inept suggestion after another for saving the parish church> Synonyms absurd, asinine, balmy, brainless, bubbleheaded, cockeyed, crackpot, crazy, cuckoo, daffy, daft, dippy, dotty, fatuous, featherheaded, fool, half-baked, harebrained, half-witted, foolish, insane, jerky, kooky (also kookie), loony (also looney), lunatic, lunkheaded, mad, nonsensical, nutty, preposterous, sappy, screwball, senseless, silly, simpleminded, stupid, tomfool, unwise, wacky (also whacky), weak-minded, witless, zanyRelated Words airheaded, birdbrained, boobish, brain-dead, chowderheaded, chuckleheaded, clueless, dense, dim, dim-witted, doltish, dopey (also dopy), dorky [slang], dull, dumb, dunderheaded, empty-headed, fatuous, feebleminded, gormless [chiefly British], idiotic (also idiotical), imbecile (or imbecilic), knuckleheaded, lamebrain (or lamebrained), mindless, moronic, oafish, obtuse, opaque, pinheaded, simple, slow, slow-witted, soft, softheaded, thoughtless, thick, thickheaded, unintelligent, vacuous, witless; fallacious, illogical, invalid, irrational, nonrational, surd, unreasonable, unreasoning, unsound, weak; farcical, laughable, ludicrous, ridiculous; notional; buffoonish, clownish; ill-advised, unconsidered, unreasonedNear Antonyms brainy, bright, clever, intelligent, smart; logical, rational, reasonable, valid; well-advisedAntonyms judicious, prudent, sagacious, sage, sane, sapient, sensible, sound, wise