efficient
Americanadjective
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performing or functioning in the best possible manner with the least waste of time and effort; having and using requisite knowledge, skill, and industry; competent; capable.
a reliable, efficient assistant.
- Synonyms:
- effectual
-
satisfactory and economical to use.
Our new air conditioner is more efficient than our old one.
-
producing an effect, as a cause; causative.
-
utilizing a particular commodity or product with the least waste of resources or effort (usually used in combination).
a fuel-efficient engine.
adjective
-
functioning or producing effectively and with the least waste of effort; competent
-
philosophy producing a direct effect; causative
Usage
What are other ways to say efficient? A person or a thing that is efficient performs or functions in the best possible manner with the least waste of time and effort. But efficient isn’t quite the same as effectual, efficacious, or effective! Find out why on Thesaurus.com.
Other Word Forms
- efficiently adverb
- nonefficient adjective
- quasi-efficient adjective
- superefficient adjective
- unefficient adjective
Etymology
Origin of efficient
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin efficient- (stem of efficiēns ), equivalent to ef- ef- + fic-, combining form of facere “to make, do 1 ” + -ent- -ent
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 vessels have a deeper draught - the amount of hull below the waterline - than most CalMac ships, allowing for a sleeker, more fuel efficient shape.
From BBC
“I went to see how these little stores in New York got their supplies, and I really thought it was very rudimentary and not very efficient,” he said during the talk in 2011.
When you’re cooking, be intentional and be efficient with your time.
Their massive size and efficient supply chains allow them to lower prices than competitors.
From Los Angeles Times
"In addition, neural network synchronous decoding reduced the need for complex measurements and step-by-step reconstruction, supporting more efficient readout and decoding. This could enable a practical route toward high-capacity, high-throughput holographic data storage."
From Science Daily
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.
