inefficiencies

IPA/ˌɪn.ɪˈfɪʃ.ən.si/
KK[ˌɪnɪfˈɪʃənsiz]IPA/ˌɪn.ɪˈfɪʃ.ən.si/

inefficiencies — noun

  • inefficienciessingular
  • inefficienciesesplural

1. specific weak points in a system or way of working that waste time, money, or en

1.nounC1
Definition

specific weak points in a system or way of working that waste time, money, or energy because tasks are arranged badly or handled without enough skill.

Example

The audit found inefficiencies in the clinic's booking system and payment desk.

inefficiencies in + [system/process]

Paloma fixed the shipping inefficiencies that had delayed online orders for weeks.

fix + shipping inefficiencies

Common collocations
  • identify inefficiencies
  • remove inefficiencies
  • small inefficiencies
  • operational inefficiencies
Synonyms
  • bottlenecks

    more specific; these are points that slow progress, not every kind of waste

  • weaknesses

    broader term that may not involve wasted time or money

  • redundancies

    extra repeated steps; one common kind of inefficiency

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

inefficiencies in [a process/system]

identify/remove/cut inefficiencies

Usage Note

Almost always plural when naming specific weak points inside a business, process, or system. For the overall poor state, the singular form 'inefficiency' is more common.

Common Mistakes

The system has much inefficiencies.
The system has many inefficiencies.
this sense is a countable plural noun, so English uses 'many', not 'much'.
His laziness is an inefficiency.
The ordering system has several inefficiencies.
the plural usually points to fixable faults in a process or system, not to one person's character.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

These words all describe something wrong in a system, but they point to different problems. Inefficiencies are specific parts of a process that use too much time, money, or effort for the result they produce. Bottlenecks are narrower: they are points where work slows down because too many people or tasks must pass through one place. Waste is broader and can include money, food, or effort that is simply lost, even without a clear system problem. Weaknesses is the widest term of all, covering any flaw, including poor planning or bad design. A manager might remove inefficiencies from a delivery route, but fix a bottleneck at one busy loading gate.

inefficiencies ↗bottlenecks ↗waste ↗weaknesses ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • operational inefficiencies
  • process inefficiencies
  • shipping inefficiencies
  • system inefficiencies

Phrases

  • identify inefficiencies
  • cut inefficiencies
  • remove inefficiencies

Prepositions

  • inefficiencies in

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

This is the plural form of 'inefficiency'. The singular was formed in English by adding the negative prefix 'in-' ('not') to 'efficiency'. Efficiency goes back through French and Latin to a verb meaning 'bring about' or 'achieve'. So inefficiencies are the parts of a system where too much time, money, or effort is spent for the result produced.

First known use

1749

1749, in the meaning defined at sense 1