inefficacy

American  

[in-ef-i-kuh-see] / ɪnˈɛf ɪ kə si /

noun

1. lack of power or capacity to produce the desired effect.

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Etymology

Origin of inefficacy

From the Late Latin word inefficācia, dating back to 1605–15. See in- ³, efficacy

Example Sentences

The process is often triggered by post-approval studies showing inefficacy, according to Harvard Law professor I. Glenn Cohen.

From Reuters • Mar. 23, 2023

He seemed to think he could figure this out, make the kind of adjustment he has made so many times before in a career defined by his ability to stave off long stretches of inefficacy.

From Washington Post • Oct. 7, 2022

As Luther’s claims about the inefficacy of indulgences spread, with help from the new Gutenberg printing press, so did the idea of the solas, which formed the basis of the Reformation.

From The New Yorker • Aug. 5, 2019

Mercifully, banner ads are in decline, due less to their ugliness than their inefficacy: Readers quickly learned to ignore them.

From Slate • Jun. 16, 2015

But, in spite of the complete inefficacy of the old penal system as regards the diminution of crime, they have so far only put into practice few of their ideas.

From The Sexual Question A Scientific, psychological, hygienic and sociological study by Forel, Auguste