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.
Supporters call three weekly meetings inefficient and costly, arguing fewer full sessions would free council members to work in their districts and steer more detailed public debate into committee hearings.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 31, 2026
UniCredit is notably proposing to make cuts in Commerzbank’s international network, deemed too complex and inefficient, and to refocus the bank on its activities in Germany.
From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2026
“Paying MA plans more is likely an inefficient way of delivering better benefits to beneficiaries,” Fiedler said.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 9, 2026
She attributed the results to “pulling on all of the levers of the marketplace,” including optimizing the checkout on Vrbo, cutting inefficient marketing channels and redirecting spending to more productive ones.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
Although swidden does permit the forest to regrow, it is wildly inefficient and environmentally unsound.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
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