as in inability
the lack of ability to do something or produce something without wasting materials, time, or energy
The candidate blamed her opponent for the local government's inefficiency.
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Recent Examples of inefficiency
Pope Leo’s broader point is that friction, uncertainty and limitation are not inefficiencies to eliminate but essential dimensions of human intellectual and moral development.
—
Sreedhar Potarazu, Baltimore Sun, 26 May 2026
Built to maximize energy generation while minimizing inefficiencies, this scalable solution is 99% emission– and pollutant-free, offering a sustainable way to meet a wide range of localized power requirements.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 22 May 2026
Slaughter was fired without cause, which clashed with a 1914 law that limited the president's ability to remove an FTC commissioner to instances of inefficiency, neglect of duty or malfeasance in office.
—Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 20 May 2026
The product targets a persistent inefficiency in the legal profession: much legal work is still coordinated over email chains, with documents bouncing back and forth across inboxes.
—Ellen Sheng, CNBC, 19 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for inefficiency
Sreedhar Potarazu, Baltimore Sun, 26 May 2026
Built to maximize energy generation while minimizing inefficiencies, this scalable solution is 99% emission– and pollutant-free, offering a sustainable way to meet a wide range of localized power requirements.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 22 May 2026
Slaughter was fired without cause, which clashed with a 1914 law that limited the president's ability to remove an FTC commissioner to instances of inefficiency, neglect of duty or malfeasance in office.
—Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 20 May 2026
The product targets a persistent inefficiency in the legal profession: much legal work is still coordinated over email chains, with documents bouncing back and forth across inboxes.
—Ellen Sheng, CNBC, 19 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for inefficiency
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inefficiency
Noun
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The addition was a prompt injection, a form of AI attack that exploits an LLM’s inability to distinguish between legitimate user prompts and those from unauthorized, potentially malicious third parties.—
Dan Goodin,
ArsTechnica,
28 May 2026
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Simon had been in the role for less than a year, after Bill Owens resigned last spring, citing the inability to enjoy editorial independence without corporate influence.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
28 May 2026
Noun
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This is not an office known for its incompetence.—
Mercury News Editorial Board,
Mercury News,
29 May 2026
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Not using it signals incompetence; using it signals very little.—
Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2026
Noun
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Federal agents have descended upon the home of Cindy Rodriguez Singh, the North Texas mom who was recently sent to a state hospital after an incompetency ruling in the murder of her young son.—
Matthew Ablon,
CBS News,
12 May 2026
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The longer the delay, the more the system risks turning temporary incompetency into long-term confinement.—
Stephen Martin,
Oklahoma Watch,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Houston’s pitching staff awoke on Monday with the sport’s highest ERA, a byproduct of injuries to most of their season-opening rotation and the ineffectiveness of those who’ve stayed healthy.—
Chandler Rome,
New York Times,
26 May 2026
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Delaying this only demonstrates the organization’s ineffectiveness in today’s NBA.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Inefficiency.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inefficiency. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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