inefficacy
/ɪnˈef.ɪ.kə.si/ (bre, ipa) · /ɪnˈef.ə.kə.si/ (ame, ipa) · /(ˌ)i-ˈne-fi-kə-sē/ (ame, mw)
inefficacy — noun
1. the situation in which a treatment, plan, or way of doing something does not wor
the situation in which a treatment, plan, or way of doing something does not work well enough to give the result that people wanted
The trial showed the inefficacy of the new drug against advanced lung cancer.
the inefficacy of + [treatment/intervention]
Public anger grew over the inefficacy of the government's plan to reduce homelessness.
the inefficacy of + [policy/plan]
Vikram pointed to the inefficacy of fines as a way of stopping illegal parking near the school.
Doctors in rural clinics often report the inefficacy of single-dose treatments for stubborn skin infections.
- ineffectiveness
everyday equivalent; works for people, plans, and methods alike
- uselessness
stronger and more negative; suggests no value at all
- futility
stresses that the effort had no chance from the start, not just that it failed this time
- efficacy
direct opposite; the ability of a treatment or method to produce its intended result
- effectiveness
everyday opposite; broader and less formal
文法句型
the inefficacy of [treatment/method]
用法筆記
Almost always preceded by 'the' and followed by 'of'. Subject of discussion is usually a drug, treatment, policy, law, or method — rarely a person.