feckless
Americanadjective
-
ineffective; incompetent; futile.
feckless attempts to repair the plumbing.
-
having no sense of responsibility; indifferent; lazy.
adjective
Usage
What does feckless mean? Feckless describes an irresolute, weak, or ineffective action or person. Content warning: This article contains reference to some strong language.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of feckless
First recorded in 1590–1600; originally Scots, from feck ( late Middle English ( Scots ) fek, shortened from effeck, Scots form of effect ) + -less
Explanation
If a newspaper editorial describes a politician as feckless, you might wonder, "What is feck, and why doesn’t he have any?” In fact, the columnist is accusing the politician of being irresponsible and incompetent. Did you know that most varieties of English are in fact “feck”-less? They don’t contain a word feck, only the negative counterpart feckless. The “feck” in feckless began as a short form of effect used in the Scots dialect. So feckless essentially means "ineffective," but is also used to describe someone who is irresponsible, incompetent, inept, or without purpose in life.
Vocabulary lists containing feckless
100 Words Every High School Graduate Should Know
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Into the Wild
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "F"
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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.
Her joy of divorcing my father was twofold as she not only left a somewhat feckless husband, but also de-Mycock-ed herself.
From BBC • Apr. 18, 2026
Just because he did not put money aside for retirement does not mean he’s financially feckless.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 16, 2026
But Norwich doesn’t ignore the republic’s bumblers and stumblers and the “sad, feckless men” who presided over its downfall in 1797.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 17, 2026
Your mileage may vary as to whether Egg Whataboutism is a feckless approach.
From Slate • Jan. 27, 2025
McCandless wasn’t some feckless slacker, adrift and confused, racked by existential despair.
From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer
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.
