Synonyms for ineffective
- adjective
Most common
Synonyms by meaning
Adjective
1. Ineffectual — not having the desired effect; ineffectual; otiose
ineffectual, futile, weak, unavailing, useless, lame, impotent, vain, pointless, unproductive, fruitless, unprofitable, purposeless, abortive, void, stultifying, sterile, barren, inefficacious, bootless, otiose, noneffective
2. Incompetent — lacking in ability; incompetent or inadequate
incompetent, inadequate, inept, unable, insufficient, incapable, feckless, deficient, unqualified, uneffective, unfit, duffing slang dated UK
Other
Definitions
- adj. 1
Not having the desired effect; ineffectual; otiose.
- adj. 2
Lacking in ability; incompetent or inadequate.
Related words
- Word family
- ineffectively ineffectiveness
Example sentences
- useless There's nothing in here but a lot of useless junk.
- futile When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
- ineffectual My efforts seemed ineffectual.
- unavailing All efforts have been unavailing.
- inadequate At times like this, words are woefully inadequate.
- incompetent Incompetent people are the ones who talk the most.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| ineffective | steady | |
| useless | steady | |
| futile | steady | |
| ineffectual | steady | |
| unavailing | steady | |
| inadequate | falling |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 4 letters
- weak1, lame1, void1, vain1
- 5 letters
- unfit2, inept2
- 6 letters
- unable3, futile2, barren2, otiose3
- 7 letters
- useless2, sterile2, duffing
- 8 letters
- impotent3, abortive3, feckless2, bootless
- 9 letters
- pointless2, incapable4, deficient3, fruitless2, toothless2
- 10 letters
- inadequate4, unavailing4
- 11 letters
- incompetent4, inefficient4, unqualified4, ineffectual5, purposeless3, stultifying4, uneffective
- 12 letters
- insufficient4, unproductive4, unprofitable5, noneffective
- 13 letters
- inefficacious
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (unfit2 = 2 syllables).
In other languages
- Français
- inefficace
- Italiano
- inefficace
- Deutsch
- unwirksam