efficient

adjective ef·fi·cient \ i-ˈfi-shənt \

Updated on: 15 Apr 2018

Definition of efficient

1 : productive of desired effects; especially : productive without waste

an efficient worker

2 : being or involving the immediate agent in producing an effect

the efficient action of heat in changing water to steam

—

efficiently

adverb

See efficient defined for English-language learners

See efficient defined for kids

Examples of efficient in a Sentence

Like a page-turner of a novel, [Nomar] Garciaparra keeps you eager to see what comes next, especially this season, when he will have the most efficient RBI machine in baseball, free-agent signee Manny Ramirez, riding shotgun with him. —Tom Verducci, Sports Illustrated, 5 Mar. 2001
Short and muscular, he is as efficient as a surgeon, cracking eggs with one hand and tossing the shells into the basket under the counter behind him without looking, flipping bread into the slots of a row of toasters, and literally throwing "to go" orders ten feet down the counter to the guy manning the cash register. —Paul Baumann, Commonweal, 18 July 1997
Wilde was wearing two emeralds, … one on the little finger of each hand. That on the left was the efficient cause of all joys, that on the right of misfortunes. Asked why he continued to wear the one on the right, Wilde said, "One needs misfortunes to live happily." —Richard Ellmann, Oscar Wilde, (1984) 1988
Originally designed for the preparation of desserts, the woks eventually proved their versatility as efficient vessels for stir-frying, deep-frying, and the reduction of liquids. —Kemp Miles Minifie, Gourmet, November 1988
that manual lawn mower is not a very efficient tool for doing a huge yard

Recent Examples of efficient from the Web

While Westbrook has been less efficient and less productive than last season, the quality of his play hasn’t swung so wildly that he should be cast off.

— ben golliver, SI.com, "The Crossover's All-NBA and All-Defensive Picks: Who Deserves to Make First Team?," 11 Apr. 2018
Without investing in better tools to track and analyze this new transit paradigm, city leaders can’t craft the most efficient rules and regulations.

— patrick sisson, Curbed, "As new transit startups take over streets and sidewalks, cities need to step up," 11 Apr. 2018
Nowitzki, who turns 40 on June 19, averaged 12.0 points and 5.7 rebounds in 24.7 minutes per game this season and remained an efficient and effective offensive player despite his declining mobility.

— marc stein, New York Times, "Mavericks Forward Dirk Nowitzki Has Season-Ending Ankle Surgery," 5 Apr. 2018
But as director John Curran’s efficient film suggests, there was probably a lot more culpability on Kennedy’s part than is on the official record.

— richard lawson, HWD, "Chappaquiddick Review: A Kennedy Family Crisis, Without the Rubber-Necking," 5 Apr. 2018
The findings are especially alarming because, over the past 2 decades, some fishing boats have become more fuel efficient and buyouts of excess fishing vessels have decreased competition and distances traveled.

— erik stokstad, Science | AAAS, "Our growing taste for shrimp is bad news for climate change," 2 Apr. 2018
Haahr argued the effectiveness of a gas tax would diminish as cars become more fuel efficient and consumers switch to electric models.

— allison kite, kansascity, "Cut taxes and fund transportation? Missouri GOP lawmakers revving up plans | The Kansas City Star," 30 Mar. 2018
The idea for Uber originated with a few young tech entrepreneurs who wanted a more efficient way to hail taxis in San Francisco.

— rachel aviv, The New Yorker, "At Uber, a New C.E.O. Shifts Gears," 30 Mar. 2018
Building earns recognition ComEd and Nicor have given the Will County Board $63,000 for making the new Public Safety Complex and Sheriff's Department energy efficient.

— michelle mullins, Naperville Sun, "Naperville News Digest," 23 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'efficient.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Comparing efficient, effective, and proficient

These three words cover some overlapping territory.

Efficient most often describes what is capable of producing desired results without wasting materials, time, or energy. While the word can be applied to both people and things, it is far more commonly applied to things, such as machines, systems, processes, and organizations. The focus of the word is on how little is wasted or lost while the desired results are produced.

Effective typically describes things—such as policies, treatments, arguments, and techniques—that do what they are intended to do. People can also be described as effective when they accomplish what they set out to accomplish, but the word is far more often applied to things.

Proficient typically describes people, and it often is followed by the preposition at. If you are proficient at something, you are very good at it. You are, in fact, so good at doing it that you are unusually efficient when you do it. One can also be proficient in something, such as a language.

Origin and Etymology of efficient

Middle English, from Middle French or Latin; Middle French, from Latin efficient-, efficiens, from present participle of efficere

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 2

See Words from the same year

efficient Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of efficient

effective, effectual, efficient, efficacious mean producing or capable of producing a result. effective stresses the actual production of or the power to produce an effect.

- an effective rebuttal

effectual suggests the accomplishment of a desired result especially as viewed after the fact.

- the measures to stop the pilfering proved effectual

efficient suggests an acting or a potential for action or use in such a way as to avoid loss or waste of energy in effecting, producing, or functioning.