inefficient
Frequently Asked Questions
- Machines, such as a gas-guzzling car or an old washing machine that uses up a lot of energy. Rube Goldberg machines are intentionally inefficient and overly complicated.
- People, such as a worker who completes tasks in roundabout ways or a runner who exerts unnecessary energy during each stride.
- Processes, such as a project that uses more of the budget than it needs to or involves more employees than is necessary.
- Institutions and organizations. People often accuse the government of being inefficient. An inefficient business is one that uses more resources than are necessary to operate.
- Without my monitor and mouse, I can still get work done, but I’m really inefficient—it takes me an hour to do what usually takes 10 minutes!
- Some people say that the government is too inefficient and should be run like a business.
- My car is so inefficient—it only gets 8 miles to the gallon.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A Law Commission report in 2022 concluded that these marriage laws, which date back to the 18th and 19th Centuries, were "complicated, inefficient, unfair and needlessly restrictive".
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
An inefficient youth pipeline, competition from other sports and an inability to develop a superstar are some of the reasons why the U.S. keeps losing in the World Cup.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 12, 2026
One Fed governor dismissed a return to the pre-2008 system as “massively inefficient and stupid.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 15, 2026
It is also economically inefficient, and it is politically dangerous.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 5, 2026
Those tiny German beer companies are relatively inefficient.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
Vocabulary lists containing inefficient
"Sorry, Wrong Number," Vocabulary from the play
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Prefixes: in-, im-, il-, ir-
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Lawn Boy
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
