efficient

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adjective ef·fi·cient \i-ˈfi-shənt\

Definition of efficient

1 : being or involving the immediate agent in producing an effect the efficient action of heat in changing water to steam
2 : productive of desired effects; especially : productive without waste an efficient worker

efficiently

adverb

See efficient defined for English-language learners

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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
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
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
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
that manual lawn mower is not a very efficient tool for doing a huge yard

Recent Examples of efficient from the Web

Today's solar panels are smaller, more efficient and last significantly longer than their earlier counterparts.

— carrie napoleon, Post-Tribune, "Lowell school district makes switch to solar power", 5 July 2017
Both make the people-moving process more efficient.

— erin hegarty, Naperville Sun, "Naperville Tuk Tuk fleet doubles in size in less than a year", 5 July 2017
But technological changes enabled more efficient farming to take place elsewhere, including on dry land, and southeastern Massachusetts is now dotted with struggling cranberry bogs.

— jess bidgood, New York Times, "The ‘Rewilding’ of a Century-Old Cranberry Bog", 4 July 2017
A new state law that allows delivery drivers to use the vehicles on some public roads led UPS to retrofit the vehicles and attach trailers or flatbeds, an attempt to use the most efficient, flexible transport to keep goods moving.

— paul page, WSJ, "Today’s Top Supply Chain and Logistics News From WSJ", 30 June 2017
The new planes have more seats, are more fuel efficient and will have lower maintenance costs — savings the company plans to pass on to customers.

— jim wyss, miamiherald, "Stand-up air travel? Not yet, but Colombian budget airline would consider it", 22 June 2017
Demand had jumped earlier in the decade as high fuel prices spurred airlines to stockpile orders of more efficient planes like Boeing’s upgraded 737 Max and Airbus’s A320neo.

— julie johnsson, Bloomberg.com, "Boeing Tops Airbus in Air-Show Haul for First Time Since '12", 21 June 2017
In addition to Maryhurst, other nonprofits across the state are also realizing the benefits of making their own facilities more energy efficient in dollars saved through enhancements and rebates awarded.

— for lg&e and ku, The Courier-Journal, "Meaningful savings brighten children’s lives", 20 June 2017
In his native Detroit, Jack White—White Stripes frontman and one of the most active and influential musicians of the last twenty years—has built a beautiful, efficient, and fully staffed record manufacturing plant.

— kevin dupzyk, Popular Mechanics, "Welcome to Jack White's Temple to Vinyl", 20 June 2017

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

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First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

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. an efficient small car efficacious suggests possession of a special quality or virtue that gives effective power. a detergent that is efficacious in removing grease