inept
Americanadjective
-
without skill or aptitude for a particular task or assignment; maladroit.
He is inept at mechanical tasks. She is inept at dealing with people.
- Synonyms:
- unskillful
- Antonyms:
- suited
-
generally awkward or clumsy; haplessly incompetent.
-
inappropriate; unsuitable; out of place.
-
absurd or foolish.
an inept remark.
adjective
-
awkward, clumsy, or incompetent
-
not suitable, appropriate, or fitting; out of place
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of inept
First recorded in 1595–1605; from Latin ineptus, equivalent to in- in- 3 + -eptus, combining form of aptus apt
Explanation
A clumsy, incompetent person — or an ineffective action — is inept. When you're inept, you don't know what you're doing or just can't get it done. Someone inept is bumbling, clueless, and ineffective. Inept people are dumb or clueless; they don't understand things. More than that, inept people are bad at what they do. An inept lawyer always loses cases. An inept figure skater wipes out on the ice. An inept postal worker loses mail and puts it in the wrong box. An inept person is downright bad at something. The opposite of inept is competent.
Vocabulary lists containing inept
Grade 10, List 1
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The increased scrutiny that’s come with their ascent, however, has revealed them to be hilariously inept.
From Salon • Jan. 14, 2026
There’s a real argument here that an agency so inept in its recruitment will also be inept at training people and carrying out its mission.
From Slate • Jan. 13, 2026
A party insider described talk of a leadership challenge before May to me as "politically inept".
From BBC • Dec. 3, 2025
The smartest guy in the room could also be strangely inept at reading the room.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 21, 2025
Before she left the stable yard, she couldn’t resist unsheathing her dagger and tossing it at the tree, just to remind herself that she wasn’t completely inept.
From "Huntress" by Malinda Lo
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
