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Synonyms

efficiently

American  
[ih-fish-uhnt-lee] / ɪˈfɪʃ ənt li /

adverb

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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

Derived Forms

Etymology

Origin of efficiently

efficient ( def. ) + -ly

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.

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