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
The complexity of juggling multiple agencies, budgets, and timelines can lead to inefficiency, miscommunication, and production outcomes that fail to deliver their full potential.
—
Jason Phillips, USA Today, 27 Mar. 2026
The effort would assess state departments and gather feedback from public employees to identify inefficiencies and reduce unnecessary spending.
—Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 25 Mar. 2026
The low-price, fast-fashion model has embedded overconsumption into the system while reinforcing inefficiencies in current production and retail models.
—Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 23 Mar. 2026
Encourage Feedback From Staff Employees often notice inefficiencies before leadership does.
—Matthew Kayser, AZCentral.com, 18 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inefficiency
Jason Phillips, USA Today, 27 Mar. 2026
The effort would assess state departments and gather feedback from public employees to identify inefficiencies and reduce unnecessary spending.
—Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 25 Mar. 2026
The low-price, fast-fashion model has embedded overconsumption into the system while reinforcing inefficiencies in current production and retail models.
—Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 23 Mar. 2026
Encourage Feedback From Staff Employees often notice inefficiencies before leadership does.
—Matthew Kayser, AZCentral.com, 18 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inefficiency
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inefficiency
Noun
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Experts say multinationals and foreign investors still want a share of India's consumption story — but the country's inability to create more white-collar jobs is undermining that narrative.—
Priyanka Salve,
CNBC,
2 Apr. 2026
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When their inability to compromise led to a government shutdown in 2011, Standard & Poor’s downgraded this country’s debt from AAA to AA for the first time in roughly a century.—
Stu Strumwasser,
Fortune,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Accused of political incompetence, Bani Sadr was impeached by parliament in 1981 and subsequently fled into exile.—
Roxane Razavi,
The Conversation,
2 Apr. 2026
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Weaponized incompetence, or the practice of being so helpless that the labor simply falls on someone else, has long been a feature of domestic life.—
Catherina Gioino,
Fortune,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The reproduction of systemic racism occurs not simply through white denial but also through the promotion of cultural incompetency.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 Mar. 2026
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The District Attorney’s Office said a finding of incompetency does not dismiss the case or result in a defendant’s release, and that proceedings will resume if Mock is later deemed competent.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
16 Jan. 2026
Noun
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But injuries and ineffectiveness, particularly in 2023, drove him out of New York.—
Brendan Kuty,
New York Times,
2 Apr. 2026
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The ineffectiveness of the rule is a fair criticism.—
Greg Cote
Updated March 30,
Miami Herald,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Inefficiency.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inefficiency. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
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