as in unsuccessful
not producing the desired result
inefficient measures to solve the problem of teenage smoking
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Recent Examples of inefficient
Without scale, businesses remain inefficient and uncompetitive.
—
Emeka Ajene, semafor.com, 29 Sep. 2025
The festival celebrates the Milwaukee origins of the universal, yet inefficient QWERTY keyboard in worldwide use.
—Angelika Ytuarte, jsonline.com, 26 Sep. 2025
That said, what this seemingly outlandish tour expressed was a message about the inefficient, yet deeply endearing creations and art that are born when people try to make things through trial and error, or struggle to accomplish something — and ultimately about how people live.
—Billboard Japan, Billboard, 25 Sep. 2025
As a result, boards have been left to rely on attorneys for every statutory question, a costly and inefficient approach that still leaves liability squarely on the shoulders of volunteer board members.
—Maria Williams, USA Today, 25 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inefficient
Emeka Ajene, semafor.com, 29 Sep. 2025
The festival celebrates the Milwaukee origins of the universal, yet inefficient QWERTY keyboard in worldwide use.
—Angelika Ytuarte, jsonline.com, 26 Sep. 2025
That said, what this seemingly outlandish tour expressed was a message about the inefficient, yet deeply endearing creations and art that are born when people try to make things through trial and error, or struggle to accomplish something — and ultimately about how people live.
—Billboard Japan, Billboard, 25 Sep. 2025
As a result, boards have been left to rely on attorneys for every statutory question, a costly and inefficient approach that still leaves liability squarely on the shoulders of volunteer board members.
—Maria Williams, USA Today, 25 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inefficient
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inefficient
Adjective
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The pose Harris struck and held through her unsuccessful 2024 campaign for the White House is called the good soldier.—
Jeremy Lott,
The Washington Examiner,
3 Oct. 2025
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Now, after years of mostly unsuccessful efforts to eliminate windows from cabins, one luxury jet maker appears to be on the verge of doing just that.—
Mack DeGeurin,
Popular Science,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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In January 2010, a five-day hearing was held in the circuit court to hear testimony about Dassey's motion, much of which focused on evidence that his confession was coerced and that his trial counsel was ineffective.—
Kelli Arseneau,
jsonline.com,
1 Oct. 2025
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The sheer paucity of Russian resources, after three and a half years of war, may lead to a similarly ineffective response to any use of Tomahawks.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Others—such as an eagerness to engage someone in combat—work in the gym, ring, and battlefield but become counterproductive and even destructive outside of those contexts.—
Dan Brooks,
The Atlantic,
2 Oct. 2025
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Once again, the process is likely to be costly, counterproductive and completely unnecessary.—
Bloomberg Opinion,
Twin Cities,
25 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Inefficient.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inefficient. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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