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inefficiently

inefficiently

3 4.8
In a way that wastes time or money
  • adverb
  • /ˌɪnɪˈfɪʃəntli/
translation icon : ineficazmente
  • Eastern Europe's energy use patterns thus remained oriented to solid fuels, generally burned inefficiently and without environmental protection devices.
  • using energy inefficiently
  • energy was used inefficiently
  • often runs inefficiently

But something that is built inefficiently is harder to destroy because what do you destroy?

Examples

  • The United States is not alone in spending inefficiently on renewable power.

    Academic text (2012)
  • The company operates inefficiently, resulting in high costs and wasted resources.

  • Much of the new wealth was used inefficiently or simply squirreled away.

    Academic text (2009)
  • Schmookler said the $700 billion comes from private insurance companies that inefficiently manage Medicare Advantage.

    Blog text (30)
  • So far, governments worldwide have tended to promote renewable power in ham-fisted ways, spending money inefficiently.

    Academic text (2012)
  • As a result, problems that would benefit from coordinated state efforts are addressed inefficiently, to the long-term detriment of wildlife species.

    Academic text (2012)
  • Thus, many children with ADHD who receive special education services may be receiving these services inefficiently or incorrectly (Heward, 2003).

    Academic text (2010)
  • He realized that he had been managing his time inefficiently, leading to missed deadlines.

  • The project was completed inefficiently, taking twice as long as planned and exceeding the budget.

Synonyms

uselessly
vsinefficiently
4 3.5

In a way that does not help or make any difference

emphasizes wasting time or resources rather than just being unhelpful
ineffectively
vsinefficiently
3 4.0

In a way that does not get the result you want

emphasizes wasting time or resources rather than only lack of success
ineffectually
vsinefficiently
1 6.3

In a way that does not get the result you want

emphasizes poor use of time or resources rather than mere failure
wastefully
vsinefficiently
1 4.0

To use resources in a careless way so they are lost

includes failing to achieve results as well as wasting resources
unproductively
vsinefficiently
1 6.7

In a way that fails to get useful results

emphasizes poor use of time or resources rather than only failing
inefficaciously
vsinefficiently
9.9

In a way that does not work or help

emphasizes wasting time or resources rather than only lack of success
unavailingly
vsinefficiently
8.0

Without success when someone tries to do something

emphasizes wasting resources rather than only lacking success
uneconomically
vsinefficiently
6.7

In a way that wastes money or resources

focuses on wasting resources rather than only failing to reach results
suboptimally
vsinefficiently
6.8

In a way that does not work as well as possible

is about wasting time or resources rather than merely being below best

Antonyms

101 2.7

In a way that does not waste time or effort

How Efficiently

productively
10 3.2
efficiently
101 2.7
adequately
83 3.0
inefficiently
3 4.8
wastefully
1 4.0

Surface Forms

inefficiently positive
inefficientlier comparative
inefficientliest superlative

Morphology

inefficiently = inefficient (transparent) = in + efficient + ly

This is a standard adverb formation from the adjective 'inefficient' with the regular suffix '-ly'.

Etymology

Inefficiently comes from the parts in- meaning 'not' and efficient meaning 'working well', so imagine a machine that does a job quickly with little waste. So, to do something inefficiently is to do it 'not well' and to use more time or materials than needed.