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.
“Paying MA plans more is likely an inefficient way of delivering better benefits to beneficiaries,” Fiedler said.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 9, 2026
It was time-consuming, inefficient, prone to delays and misunderstandings and bogged down by missed return phone calls, especially before cellphones became universally used.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026
In each start, Skubal has been inefficient, he’s been searching for his command.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2026
There was criticism that they were underfunded and inefficient.
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026
Refining cane syrup in one boiling vat after another was not only dangerous; it was terribly inefficient.
From "Sugar Changed the World: A Story of Magic, Spice, Slavery, Freedom, and Science" by Marc Aronson
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!
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a word