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.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of inefficiency
As route networks expand across Miami-Dade and Broward, the small inefficiencies that decide whether a route is profitable can become harder to catch through standard reporting alone.
—
Malana Vantyler,
Miami Herald,
17 June 2026
Those figures are relatively modest in isolation but grouped together underline Spurs’ inefficiency in the transfer market.
—
Jay Harris,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
Human creativity is not an inefficiency to be optimized away.
—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
16 June 2026
Rigid rules These findings describe not just inefficiency but also the rigidity of a system that should adapt more flexibly under climate stress.
—
David Sathuluri,
Mercury News,
16 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for inefficiency
Malana Vantyler,
Miami Herald,
17 June 2026
Those figures are relatively modest in isolation but grouped together underline Spurs’ inefficiency in the transfer market.
—
Jay Harris,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
Human creativity is not an inefficiency to be optimized away.
—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
16 June 2026
Rigid rules These findings describe not just inefficiency but also the rigidity of a system that should adapt more flexibly under climate stress.
—
David Sathuluri,
Mercury News,
16 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for inefficiency
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inefficiency
Noun
-
But Iraq’s inability to keep the margin of defeat narrow when that very well could be the tiebreaker for one of the top eight third-place spots showed a bit of naivety that could prove very damaging.
-
Rashada’s unlikely—if not deeply ironic—windfall highlights the secondary market for House claims that has emerged during the post-settlement limbo of antitrust litigation over college athletes’ long-standing inability to profit from their name, image and likeness rights.
Noun
-
The most serious charges — which included incompetence, negligence and failure of duty — were dismissed.
-
There is where their incompetence comes in.
Noun
-
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.
-
The longer the delay, the more the system risks turning temporary incompetency into long-term confinement.
Noun
-
See and assess your teams’ repetitive tasks, ineffectiveness and common delays.
-
And his ineffectiveness as a poacher has been amplified by the performances of other big names in the competition’s opening week.
Cite this Entry
“Inefficiency.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inefficiency. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
