INEFFICIENCY Synonyms: 21 Similar and Opposite Words

inefficiency

noun

Definition of inefficiency

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.

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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 However, higher labor costs and project inefficiencies weighed on gross margins during that period. — Alexa Lomonaco, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2026 The company said the pilot is dealing with the ongoing nationwide problem of inadequate truck parking, which leads to driver fatigue, operational inefficiencies and safety risks on major freight routes. — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 6 Oct. 2026 As businesses evolve, outdated skills create bottlenecks, workarounds and inefficiencies that are often mistaken for workload issues. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 2 Oct. 2026 The web of overlapping anti-poverty programs is difficult for people to navigate and contributes to losses from inefficiency. — Editorial Board, Washington Post, 14 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for inefficiency

Recent Examples of Synonyms for inefficiency

Noun

The Bengals beat the Dolphins 31-24 in large part due to the offense’s inability to get the passing attack going.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 11 Oct. 2026
Stroud picked apart the Titans, and only the Texans' inability to convert twice inside the Tennessee 20 in the first half kept the final score from being worse.

— ABC News, ABC News, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of inability

Noun

Treat mistakes as information rather than evidence of incompetence, and people might become more willing to try new things.

— Vinesh Sukumaran, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Connecticut State Colleges and Universities has been revealed as a nest of incompetence in its powerful central office.

— Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 26 Sep. 2026

Definition of incompetence

Noun

Court records show DeFoor has a history of criminal cases involving findings of mental incompetency.

— Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 2 Sep. 2026
Those forms are not pertinent to the finding of incompetency and are therefore subject to the open records law, Ziegler and Bradley wrote.

— Scott Bauer, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026

Definition of incompetency

Noun

What readers are saying The comments express strong opposition to capital punishment, particularly highlighting the botched execution of Christa Pike as an example of its cruelty and ineffectiveness.

— Victoria Craw, Washington Post, 2 Oct. 2026
However, September continued to showcase the club’s ineffectiveness at the plate.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of ineffectiveness

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inefficacy

inefficiency

inefficient

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“Inefficiency.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inefficiency. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of inefficiency

noun

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