Ineffective

  • 1Ineffective — In ef*fect ive, a. [Pref. in not + effective: cf. F. ineffectif.] Not effective; not having the desired effect; ineffectual; futile; inefficient; useless; as, an ineffective appeal; an ineffective herbal remedy. [1913 Webster +PJC] The word of… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 2ineffective — [in΄e fek′tiv, in΄i fek′tiv] adj. 1. not effective; not producing the desired effect; ineffectual [an ineffective plan] 2. not capable of performing satisfactorily; incompetent; inefficient [an ineffective mayor] ineffectively adv.… …

    English World dictionary

  • 3ineffective — I adjective abortive, barren, disabled, effete, emasculated, feckless, feeble, figurehead, fruitless, futile, gainless, good for nothing, impotent, inadequate, incompetent, indecisive, ineffectual, inefficacious, inept, inoperative, insufficient …

    Law dictionary

  • 4ineffective — ineffective, ineffectual Ineffective means ‘not producing any effect’ and normally refers to actions or processes. Ineffectual often refers to people, and means ‘lacking the ability to produce results’. The distinctions are more fully discussed… …

    Modern English usage

  • 5ineffective — (adj.) 1650s, from IN (Cf. in ) (1) not, opposite of + EFFECTIVE (Cf. effective). Related: Ineffectively; ineffectiveness …

    Etymology dictionary

  • 6ineffective — ineffective, ineffectual, inefficient, inefficacious mean not producing or incapable of producing results. Except for this denial of production or capacity for production, these adjectives correspond in their applications and implications to the… …

    New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • 7ineffective — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ not producing any or the desired effect. DERIVATIVES ineffectively adverb ineffectiveness noun …

    English terms dictionary

  • 8ineffective — in|ef|fec|tive [ˌınıˈfektıv] adj something that is ineffective does not achieve what it is intended to achieve ≠ ↑effective ineffective in doing sth ▪ The chemical was almost totally ineffective in killing the weeds. ineffective against ▪ Various …

    Dictionary of contemporary English

  • 9ineffective — in|ef|fec|tive [ ,ını fektıv ] adjective 1. ) something that is ineffective does not work correctly or does not do what you want it to do: He dismissed the argument as ineffective. be ineffective in doing something: The policy has been largely… …

    Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • 10ineffective — UK [ˌɪnɪˈfektɪv] / US adjective 1) something that is ineffective does not work correctly or does not do what you want it to do He dismissed the argument as ineffective. be ineffective in doing something: The policy has been largely ineffective in …

    English dictionary