inefficiency
noun
in·ef·fi·cien·cy
ˌi-nə-ˈfi-shən(t)-sē 
plural inefficiencies
1
: the quality or state of being inefficient
2
: something that is inefficient
Examples of inefficiency in a Sentence
The candidate blamed her opponent for the local government's inefficiency.
She claims that money can be saved by reducing inefficiencies.
Recent Examples on the Web
But decades of research, including my own, has shown that state ownership in the oil industry leads to inefficiency at best and corruption at worst.
—
Paasha Mahdavi, Mercury News, 6 Mar. 2026
Several of this year’s finalists focus on improving how garments are made, targeting inefficiencies upstream in design, manufacturing and quality control.
—Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 5 Mar. 2026
Tariffs are taxes burdening the movement of goods while imposing inefficiencies into the marketplace.
—Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Feb. 2026
Further compounding the issue is the astronomical cost of investigational product of research, driven upward over decades by escalating evidentiary standards, increasingly complex trial designs, and entrenched operational inefficiencies.
—Elise Felicione, STAT, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inefficiency
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Paasha Mahdavi, Mercury News, 6 Mar. 2026
Several of this year’s finalists focus on improving how garments are made, targeting inefficiencies upstream in design, manufacturing and quality control.
—Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 5 Mar. 2026
Tariffs are taxes burdening the movement of goods while imposing inefficiencies into the marketplace.
—Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Feb. 2026
Further compounding the issue is the astronomical cost of investigational product of research, driven upward over decades by escalating evidentiary standards, increasingly complex trial designs, and entrenched operational inefficiencies.
—Elise Felicione, STAT, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inefficiency
Cite this Entry
“Inefficiency.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inefficiency. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
inefficiency
noun
in·ef·fi·cien·cy
ˌin-ə-ˈfish-ən-sē
plural inefficiencies
1
: the quality or state of being inefficient
2
: something that is inefficient
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