ineffective

English

Etymology

From in- +‎ effective.

Pronunciation

• (weak vowel distinction) IPA^(key): /ˌɪn.ɪˈfɛk.tɪv/
• (weak vowel merger) IPA^(key): /ˌɪn.əˈfɛk.tɪv/
• (General Australian) IPA^(key): /ˌɪn.əˈfek.tɪv/

  • Audio (Brisbane):

    (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛktɪv

Adjective

ineffective (comparative more ineffective, superlative most ineffective)

1. Not having the desired effect; ineffectual; otiose.
2. Lacking in ability; incompetent or inadequate.
   • 2016, Justin O. Schmidt, The Sting of the Wild, Johns Hopkins University Press, →ISBN, page 102:

     Fire ants circumvented the problem of an ineffective sting by having an unusual and highly effective venom that when daubed or sprayed on other ants penetrates their waxy protective integumental barrier and kills or disables them.

   • 2025 May 29, Kalyeena Makortoff, “US federal court blocks Trump from imposing sweeping tariffs”, in The Guardian‎^[1], →ISSN:

     Their use was “impermissible not because it is unwise or ineffective, but because [federal law]^[sic] does not allow it”, the decision explained.

Derived terms

• ineffectively
• ineffectiveness

Translations

not having the desired effect; ineffectual

• Bulgarian: неефикасен (bg) (neefikasen), неефективен (bg) (neefektiven)
• Catalan: ineficaç
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 无效果的

• German: wirkungslos (de)
• Greek: ατελέσφορος (el) (atelésforos)

  Ancient: ἀνενέργητος (anenérgētos)

• Irish: ainéifeachtach
• Italian: ineffettivo, inefficace (it)
• Manx: neuobbragh
• Maori: rōrā, pekekiwi, kikokore, mohemohe
• Polish: bezskuteczny (pl), nieefektywny, bezpłodny (pl)
• Spanish: ineficaz, inoperante
• Swedish: verkningslös (sv)

lacking in ability; incompetent or inadequate

• Bulgarian: неспособен (bg) (nesposoben), неумел (bg) (neumel)
• Catalan: ineficaç
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 缺乏能力的

• German: unfähig (de)
• Irish: ainéifeachtach
• Italian: inadeguato (it)