1
as in unsuccessful
not producing the desired result
his efforts to restore the neglected houseplant back to health were belated and sadly inefficacious
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in futile
producing no results
an inefficacious medication for a rare form of tuberculosis
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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 inefficacious
Most wore inefficacious cloth masks, too.
—
James Lileks, National Review, 25 Aug. 2022
Day — who grew up watching the spelling bee — came up with the concept of exploring the psyche of a winner with an ultimately inefficacious career in 2015 while at a UCB improv sketch-writing class.
—NBC News, 6 Oct. 2020
James Lileks, National Review, 25 Aug. 2022
Day — who grew up watching the spelling bee — came up with the concept of exploring the psyche of a winner with an ultimately inefficacious career in 2015 while at a UCB improv sketch-writing class.
—NBC News, 6 Oct. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inefficacious
Adjective
-
Trump attempted one last time to get a judge to block the report but was unsuccessful, NPR's Carrie Johnson tells Up First.Brittney Melton, NPR, 14 Jan. 2025
-
An attempt was made to cut a lock to uniform storage, however was unsuccessful.City News Service, Orange County Register, 12 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
In my experience, even attempting to get a price estimate beforehand is often futile.Michael Gfoeller And David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 15 Jan. 2025
-
Unnecessary pesticides are costly and often futile, and hey may kill beneficial insects and plants.Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 5 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Currently there are far too many neighborhoods lacking access to public transportation altogether, and what does exist is often inefficient.Selvena Brooks-Powers, New York Daily News, 17 Jan. 2025
-
Writing in the Wall Street Journal, Toyota’s Jack Hollis also called for the end of expensive and inefficient tax credits.Veronique de Rugy, The Mercury News, 14 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Without that essential training to help surmount powerful systemic barriers, the kit would have been useless—and in that sense, the job is still woefully unfinished.Sheila McClear, The Atlantic, 16 Jan. 2025
-
Esoteric knowledge of the parks, essentially useless anywhere else, is suddenly incredibly useful.Darryn King, Forbes, 13 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Don't Apply Herbicide to a Dormant Lawn Herbicide, just like fertilizer, is ineffective on a dormant lawn.Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Jan. 2025
-
The scientists concluded that the cull was ineffective, and advised officials in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to focus on the cows, and leave the badger out of it.Anna Russell, The New Yorker, 10 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Control To Collaboration The old model of controlling company messaging and maintaining a perfect image is becoming counterproductive.Medhat Zaki, Forbes, 3 Jan. 2025
-
Moving Gallen after signing Burnes would be counterproductive for a team trying to reach its second World Series in three years.Ken Rosenthal, The Athletic, 3 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near inefficacious
Cite this Entry
“Inefficacious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inefficacious. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share