efficiently
Americanadverb
-
in the best possible manner with the least waste of time and effort; capably or competently.
Getting this many people to pass information among themselves efficiently, let alone come up with a coherent plan that everybody understands, requires practice.
-
in a satisfactory and economical way.
The product they are donating will give our volunteers the proper materials to build our homes as efficiently as possible.
-
in a way that utilizes a particular resource with the least waste (usually used in combination).
The lighter your car is, the more fuel-efficiently it will drive.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of efficiently
Explanation
If you do something efficiently, you do it productively and quickly. When your dentist efficiently examines your teeth, you are grateful because he does a good job and it's all over quickly. The adverb efficiently has origins in the Latin word efficere, meaning "work out, accomplish." Efficiently can describe any action that's done without wasting time, effort, or materials — and still manages to produce the desired outcome. Today people are using power, fuel, and water more efficiently to conserve natural resources. As a project manager, you efficiently manage your projects so they stay on schedule and under budget.
Vocabulary lists containing efficiently
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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 potential medical importance comes from what can happen when dead cells are not removed efficiently.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 5, 2026
Their findings show that leucine can help stabilize important proteins in mitochondria, allowing the organelles to produce energy more efficiently.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 3, 2026
Los Angeles City Charter Amendment LA looks to change the way the city manages its budget and administers public works to more efficiently deliver basic city services such as repairing streets and sidewalks.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
In addition to potentially being able to run and train models more efficiently on chips custom-engineered to handle their specific parameters, OpenAI stands to gain by reducing its reliance on Nvidia’s hardware.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026
The reason is not yet clear, but it might have something to do with how efficiently the brain uses its resources.
From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel
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.
