EN

Synonyms for efficient

21 synonyms
6 antonyms
2 meanings

adjective

Most common

business-like lean effective competent

Synonyms by meaning

Adjective

1. Lean — making good, thorough, or careful use of resources; not consuming extra. Especially, making good use of time…

business-like, lean

2. Effective — effective, efficacious

effective, competent, efficacious formal, productive, capable, expeditious, performant US, preformant UK, proficient, able, effectual, strong, potent, active, operative

Other

economical, streamlined, well-oiled, economic

Antonyms

inefficient, uneconomical, feckless

All antonyms of efficient →

Definitions

adj. 1
Making good, thorough, or careful use of resources; not consuming extra. Especially, making good use of time or energy.
An efficient process would automate all the routine work.
adj. 2
effective, efficacious

Related words

Word family: efficiently effect effective effectiveness effectivity effectual effectuate efficacious
Phrases: efficient cause efficient frontier

Example sentences

effective Daily exercise is effective in overcoming obesity.
competent Could you find me a couple of competent mechanics?
economical A small car is more economical than a large one.
streamlined The manufacturing process has been streamlined.

Popularity over time

Word	1850 → 2019	Trend
efficient		steady
effective		steady
competent		falling
economical		falling
streamlined		rising

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

By length

4 letters: able², lean¹
6 letters: strong¹, active², potent²
7 letters: capable³
8 letters: economic⁴
9 letters: effective³, competent³, operative⁴, effectual
10 letters: productive³, economical⁵, proficient³, performant, preformant
11 letters: streamlined², efficacious⁴, expeditious⁴

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (able² = 2 syllables).

In other languages

Français: efficient
Italiano: efficiente
Español: eficiente
Deutsch: effizient