What is another word for inept?
1017 synonyms found
Is it a good idea to be inept?
Why do people become inept?
What does it mean to be inept?
Pronunciation:
[ ɪnˈɛpt], [ ɪnˈɛpt], [ ɪ_n_ˈɛ_p_t]
The word "inept" means having no skill or ability to do something. Some synonyms for the word inept are incompetent, unskilled, unfit, clumsy, awkward and bungling. Other words that convey similar meanings include ineffective, impractical, inefficient and unproductive. Inept can also suggest a lack of knowledge or understanding - you could use the words ignorant, uninformed or unaware in such a context. Depending on the situation, you might also consider using words such as untalented, uncoordinated or unqualified. When choosing synonyms for "inept", it is important to consider the context and the precise meaning that you want to convey.
Related words: ineptness, incompetence, inaptitude, inept people, who is inept, what makes a person inept
Related questions:
Synonyms for Inept:
-
adj.
• accident-prone • gauche- ill-bred ,
- illbred ,
- ill bred ,
- ill mannered ,
- illmannered ,
- in sensitive ,
- in-sensitive ,
- more ill bred ,
- more ill-bred ,
- more illbred ,
- most ill bred ,
- most ill-bred ,
- most illbred ,
- un cultured ,
- un happier ,
- un happiest ,
- un happy ,
- un-cultured ,
- un-happy .
- Inconsonant ,
- foot-in-mouth ,
- inapropos ,
- left field ,
- left-field ,
- leftfield ,
- out of line ,
- way off ,
- wrong number ,
- wrong-number .
- delinquent ,
- disadvantageous ,
- inconvenient ,
- inefficient ,
- inexpedient ,
- undesirable ,
- unsatisfactory ,
- unsuitable ,
- untimely .
- Unpurposed ,
- counter-productive ,
- counterproductive ,
- non-functional ,
- nonfunctional ,
- of no use ,
- scrapper ,
- unfunctional ,
- unusuable ,
- profitless .
- green ,
- more blundering ,
- more butterfingers ,
- more floundering ,
- more stumbling ,
- most blundering ,
- most butterfingers ,
- most floundering ,
- most stumbling ,
- stumbling ,
- un coordinated ,
- un couth ,
- un gainlier ,
- un gainliest ,
- un gainly ,
- un graceful ,
- un handier ,
- un handiest ,
- un handy ,
- un polished ,
- un refined ,
- un-coordinated ,
- un-couth ,
- un-gainlier ,
- un-gainliest ,
- un-gainly ,
- un-graceful ,
- un-handier ,
- un-handiest ,
- un-handy ,
- un-polished ,
- un-refined ,
- unhandier ,
- unhandiest .
- ham handed ,
- hamhanded ,
- ill shaped ,
- illshaped ,
- in elegant ,
- in-elegant ,
- more blunderous ,
- more butterfingered ,
- more clownish ,
- more gawkish ,
- more ham handed ,
- more ham-handed ,
- more hamhanded ,
- more ill shaped ,
- more ill-shaped ,
- more illshaped ,
- more lubberly ,
- more unadept ,
- more undexterous ,
- more untalented ,
- most blunderous ,
- most butterfingered ,
- most clownish ,
- most gawkish ,
- most ham handed ,
- most ham-handed ,
- most hamhanded ,
- most ill shaped ,
- most ill-shaped ,
- most illshaped ,
- most lubberly ,
- most unadept ,
- most undexterous ,
- most untalented ,
- ponderous ,
- splayer ,
- splayest ,
- un adept ,
- un dexterous ,
- un easier ,
- un easiest ,
- un easy ,
- un talented ,
- un wieldier ,
- un wieldiest ,
- un wieldy ,
- un-adept ,
- un-dexterous ,
- un-easier ,
- un-easiest ,
- un-easy ,
- un-talented ,
- un-wieldier ,
- un-wieldiest ,
- un-wieldy .
- illogical ,
- in adequate ,
- in conceivable ,
- in credible ,
- in-adequate ,
- in-conceivable ,
- in-credible ,
- lamest ,
- more controvertible ,
- more ungrounded ,
- more unpersuasive ,
- most controvertible ,
- most ungrounded ,
- most unpersuasive ,
- trans parent ,
- trans-parent ,
- trifling ,
- trivial ,
- un believable ,
- un grounded ,
- un persuasive ,
- un reasonable ,
- un satisfactory ,
- un substantial ,
- un-believable ,
- un-grounded ,
- un-persuasive ,
- un-reasonable ,
- un-satisfactory ,
- un-substantial .
- clunkier ,
- clunkiest ,
- in decorous ,
- in-decorous ,
- un fortunate ,
- un mannered ,
- un-fortunate ,
- un-mannered .
- Vacillatory ,
- in decisive ,
- in-decisive ,
- more claudicant ,
- more faltering ,
- more limping ,
- more stammering ,
- more stuttering ,
- most claudicant ,
- most faltering ,
- most limping ,
- most stammering ,
- most stuttering .
- ill-timed ,
- illtimed ,
- in convenient ,
- in opportune ,
- in-convenient ,
- in-opportune ,
- mis timed ,
- mis-timed ,
- more mistimed ,
- most mistimed ,
- un favorable ,
- un seasonable ,
- un suitable ,
- un timelier ,
- un timeliest ,
- un timely ,
- un welcome ,
- un-favorable ,
- un-seasonable ,
- un-suitable ,
- un-timelier ,
- un-timeliest ,
- un-timely ,
- un-welcome ,
- unwelcome .
- ill favored ,
- illfavored ,
- in admissible ,
- in-admissible ,
- more unallowable ,
- most unallowable ,
- objectionable ,
- un acceptable ,
- un allowable ,
- un desirable ,
- un qualified ,
- un suited ,
- un wanted ,
- un-acceptable ,
- un-allowable ,
- un-desirable ,
- un-qualified ,
- un-suited ,
- un-wanted .
- ill adapted ,
- illadapted ,
- in adept ,
- in apposite ,
- in apter ,
- in aptest ,
- in-adept ,
- in-apposite ,
- in-apter ,
- in-aptest ,
- more ill adapted ,
- more ill-adapted ,
- more illadapted ,
- more inadept ,
- more inapposite ,
- more unfacile ,
- more unproficient ,
- most ill adapted ,
- most ill-adapted ,
- most illadapted ,
- most inadept ,
- most inapposite ,
- most unfacile ,
- most unproficient ,
- un facile ,
- un proficient ,
- un-facile ,
- un-proficient .
- dis qualified ,
- dis-qualified ,
- in capable ,
- in eligible ,
- in proficient ,
- in sufficient ,
- in-capable ,
- in-eligible ,
- in-proficient ,
- in-sufficient ,
- losing ,
- more disqualified ,
- more inproficient ,
- more uncool ,
- more unequipped ,
- most disqualified ,
- most inproficient ,
- most uncool ,
- most unequipped ,
- not to ,
- un cool ,
- un equipped ,
- un-cool ,
- un-equipped .
- in competent ,
- in-competent ,
- more amateur ,
- more unadapted ,
- more unfitted ,
- most amateur ,
- most unadapted ,
- most unfitted ,
- out lunch ,
- un adapted ,
- un fitted ,
- un initiated ,
- un-adapted ,
- un-fitted ,
- un-initiated .
- in effective ,
- in-effective ,
- more emasculate ,
- more slack spined ,
- more slack-spined ,
- more slackspined ,
- most emasculate ,
- most slack spined ,
- most slack-spined ,
- most slackspined ,
- slack spined ,
- slack-spined ,
- slackspined .
- anti climactic ,
- anti-climactic ,
- de feasible ,
- de-feasible ,
- in effectual ,
- in nocuous ,
- in operative ,
- in vertebrate ,
- in-effectual ,
- in-nocuous ,
- in-operative ,
- in-vertebrate ,
- invertebrate ,
- more anticlimactic ,
- more defeasible ,
- more ineffective ,
- more invertebrate ,
- more neutralized ,
- most anticlimactic ,
- most defeasible ,
- most invertebrate ,
- most neutralized ,
- null and void ,
- null void ,
- un availing ,
- un profitable ,
- un successful ,
- un-availing ,
- un-profitable ,
- un-successful .
- cant hack it ,
- dis organized ,
- dis-organized ,
- half baked ,
- halfbaked ,
- improficient ,
- in efficient ,
- in-efficient ,
- more improficient ,
- most improficient ,
- slovenly ,
- un prepared ,
- un-prepared .
- Sophomoric ,
- in experienced ,
- in nocent ,
- in-experienced ,
- in-nocent ,
- kiddest ,
- more prentice ,
- more rookie ,
- more tenderfoot ,
- more unconversant ,
- more unfledged ,
- most prentice ,
- most rookie ,
- most tenderfoot ,
- most unconversant ,
- most unfledged ,
- un accustomed ,
- un acquainted ,
- un conversant ,
- un disciplined ,
- un fledged ,
- un schooled ,
- un seasoned ,
- un sophisticated ,
- un tried ,
- un trieder ,
- un triedest ,
- un versed ,
- un worldlier ,
- un worldliest ,
- un worldly ,
- un-accustomed ,
- un-acquainted ,
- un-conversant ,
- un-disciplined ,
- un-fledged ,
- un-schooled ,
- un-seasoned ,
- un-tried ,
- un-trieder ,
- un-triedest ,
- un-used ,
- un-versed ,
- un-worldlier ,
- un-worldliest ,
- un-worldly ,
- untried .
- dis courteous ,
- dis-courteous ,
- in delicate ,
- in discreet ,
- in judicious ,
- in-delicate ,
- in-discreet ,
- in-judicious ,
- mis understanding ,
- mis-understanding ,
- more misunderstanding ,
- more unconsiderate ,
- most misunderstanding ,
- most unconsiderate ,
- un civil ,
- un considerate ,
- un feeling ,
- un kind ,
- un kinder ,
- un kindest ,
- un perceptive ,
- un subtle ,
- un subtler ,
- un subtlest ,
- un sympathetic ,
- un-civil ,
- un-considerate ,
- un-kind ,
- un-kinder ,
- un-kindest ,
- un-perceptive ,
- un-subtle ,
- un-subtler ,
- un-subtlest .
- can't make grade ,
- cant cut it ,
- cant make grade ,
- cant make the grade ,
- more hog tied ,
- more hog-tied ,
- more hogtied ,
- more impuissant ,
- more sidelined ,
- most hog tied ,
- most hog-tied ,
- most hogtied ,
- most impuissant ,
- most sidelined ,
- no can do ,
- out commission ,
- un abler ,
- un ablest ,
- un-abler ,
- un-ablest .
- in accurate ,
- in expedient ,
- in harmonious ,
- in-expedient ,
- in-harmonious ,
- more off base ,
- more off-base ,
- more offbase ,
- more out of place ,
- more out of season ,
- more out-of-place ,
- more out-of-season ,
- most off base ,
- most off-base ,
- most out of place ,
- most out of season ,
- most out-of-place ,
- most out-of-season ,
- offbase ,
- out of season ,
- out-of-season ,
- un apter ,
- un aptest ,
- un-apter ,
- un-aptest .
- dis creditable ,
- dis-creditable ,
- in decent ,
- in-decent ,
- un attractive ,
- un becoming ,
- un comely ,
- un fair ,
- un fairer ,
- un fairest ,
- un flattering ,
- un godlier ,
- un godliest ,
- un godly ,
- un handsome ,
- un handsomer ,
- un handsomest ,
- un lovelier ,
- un loveliest ,
- un lovely ,
- un sightlier ,
- un sightliest ,
- un sightly ,
- un worthier ,
- un worthiest ,
- un worthy ,
- un-attractive ,
- un-becoming ,
- un-comely ,
- un-fair ,
- un-fairer ,
- un-fairest ,
- un-flattering ,
- un-godlier ,
- un-godliest ,
- un-godly ,
- un-handsome ,
- un-handsomer ,
- un-handsomest ,
- un-lovelier ,
- un-loveliest ,
- un-lovely ,
- un-sightlier ,
- un-sightliest ,
- un-sightly ,
- un-worthier ,
- un-worthiest ,
- unhandsomer ,
- unhandsomest .
- butter fingered ,
- ill equipped ,
- illequipped ,
- more butter fingered ,
- more butter-fingered ,
- more ill equipped ,
- more ill-equipped ,
- more illequipped ,
- most butter fingered ,
- most butter-fingered ,
- most ill equipped ,
- most ill-equipped ,
- most illequipped ,
- un fit ,
- un-fit .
Other synonyms:
- bumbling ,
- ill-equipped ,
- ill-prepared ,
- ineffective ,
- ineffectual ,
- klutzy ,
- thoughtless ,
- unbefitting ,
- unemployable ,
- ungraceful ,
- unseemly ,
- unworkmanlike .
- artistic ,
- flimsy ,
- helpless ,
- hopeless ,
- impractical ,
- improper ,
- inappropriate ,
- lumpish ,
- malapropos ,
- poor ,
- ragged ,
- rusty ,
- unbecoming ,
- unskilled .
- badly ,
- incongruous ,
- unhappy .
- awful .
- unfortunate .
- bad .
Other relevant words:
- Befooled ,
- Blundering ,
- Butter-fingered ,
- Chicken-hearted ,
- Chuckleheaded ,
- Daffy ,
- Fatuitous ,
- Floundering ,
- Fumbled ,
- Gulled ,
- Impuissant ,
- Inservient ,
- Lean-witted ,
- Out of keeping ,
- Ox-like ,
- Undextrous ,
- Ungifted ,
- Unhandy ,
- Unmeet ,
- Unpolitic ,
- Weak-minded ,
- abortive ,
- abrupt ,
- absurd ,
- accident-prone ,
- all thumbs ,
- amiss ,
- anomalous ,
- apish ,
- armless ,
- artless ,
- asinine ,
- batty ,
- beguiled ,
- besotted ,
- bluff ,
- blunt ,
- boorish ,
- bootless ,
- bovine ,
- brainless ,
- brusque ,
- bubbleheaded ,
- buffoonish ,
- bunglesome ,
- bungling ,
- butterfingered ,
- butterfingers ,
- cack-handed ,
- callow ,
- chicken ,
- cloddish ,
- clumsy ,
- clunky ,
- coarse ,
- cockeyed ,
- cowardly ,
- crackpot ,
- craven ,
- crazy ,
- credulous ,
- crippled ,
- cumbersome ,
- cumbrous ,
- daft ,
- dazed ,
- deficient ,
- dippy ,
- disabled ,
- discourteous ,
- dispensable ,
- disqualified ,
- disrespectful ,
- dizzy ,
- doting ,
- dotty ,
- dull ,
- dumb ,
- embarrassing ,
- failure ,
- fatuous ,
- featherheaded ,
- feckless ,
- flaky ,
- fond ,
- fool ,
- foolheaded ,
- foolish ,
- fuddled ,
- fumbling ,
- futile ,
- gaga ,
- gauche ,
- gawky ,
- goofy ,
- gruff ,
- half-assed ,
- half-baked ,
- half-witted ,
- halting ,
- ham-fisted ,
- ham-handed ,
- handless ,
- headless ,
- idiotic ,
- ignorant ,
- ill timed ,
- ill-advised ,
- ill-chosen ,
- ill-considered ,
- ill-fitted ,
- ill-judged ,
- ill-matched ,
- ill-sorted ,
- ill-suited ,
- imbecile ,
- immature ,
- impertinent ,
- impolite ,
- impolitic ,
- impotent ,
- imprudent ,
- inadept ,
- inadmissible ,
- inadvisable ,
- inadvised ,
- inane ,
- inapplicable ,
- inapposite ,
- inapt ,
- inattentive ,
- incapable ,
- incapable of ,
- inconsiderate ,
- incorrect ,
- indecorous ,
- indiscreet ,
- inefficacious ,
- inelegant ,
- ineligible ,
- inexperienced ,
- infatuated ,
- infelicitous ,
- inferior ,
- injudicious ,
- inoperative ,
- inopportune ,
- insane ,
- insensate ,
- insensitive ,
- insufficient ,
- inutile ,
- irrational ,
- irrelevant ,
- irresolute ,
- jerky ,
- kooky ,
- labored ,
- laboured ,
- left-handed ,
- lily-livered ,
- loony ,
- loser ,
- loutish ,
- lubberly ,
- lumbering ,
- lunkheaded ,
- mad ,
- maladjusted ,
- maladroit ,
- maudlin ,
- meaningless ,
- mediocre ,
- meek ,
- mindless ,
- misguided ,
- mismatched ,
- mismated ,
- misplaced ,
- moronic ,
- namby-pamby ,
- nonsensical ,
- not adapted ,
- not bright ,
- nutty ,
- oafish ,
- of no avail ,
- out of character ,
- out of joint ,
- out of place ,
- out of proportion ,
- out of time ,
- pedestrian ,
- pinheaded ,
- pointless ,
- powerless ,
- preposterous ,
- primitive ,
- pusillanimous ,
- reasonless ,
- redundant ,
- retiring ,
- ridiculous ,
- rough ,
- rude ,
- sappy ,
- screwball ,
- screwy ,
- senseless ,
- sentimental ,
- silly ,
- simpleminded ,
- spineless ,
- stale ,
- sticky ,
- stupid ,
- superfluous ,
- tactless ,
- talentless ,
- timid ,
- timorous ,
- tomfool ,
- unadapted ,
- unadvisable ,
- unadvised ,
- unassertive ,
- unavailing ,
- uncivil ,
- uncivilized ,
- uncomely ,
- uncongenial ,
- uncoordinated ,
- uncouth ,
- undexterous ,
- undignified ,
- undiplomatic ,
- undue ,
- uneasy ,
- unendowed ,
- unenviable ,
- unfacile ,
- unfitted ,
- unfitting ,
- ungainly ,
- ungentlemanly ,
- uninitiate ,
- uninitiated ,
- unintellectual ,
- unintelligent ,
- unladylike ,
- unpractised ,
- unproductive ,
- unprofessional ,
- unproficient ,
- unprofitable ,
- unqualified ,
- unreasoning ,
- unseasonable ,
- unskilful ,
- unsophisticated ,
- unsuited ,
- untactful ,
- untalented ,
- unthinking ,
- untoward ,
- untrained ,
- unusable ,
- unwieldy ,
- unwise ,
- use ,
- useless ,
- wacky ,
- wasted ,
- weak ,
- wet ,
- wishy-washy ,
- witless ,
- wooden ,
- worthless ,
- wrong ,
- yellow ,
- zany .
- Claudicant ,
- Controvertible ,
- Kidder ,
- Unconsiderate ,
- Unconversant ,
- Unhandsome ,
- amateurish ,
- anticlimactic ,
- at odds ,
- awkward ,
- badly timed ,
- blunderous ,
- can't cut it ,
- can't hack it ,
- can't make the grade ,
- clownish ,
- defeasible ,
- gawkish ,
- having two left feet ,
- having two left hands ,
- ill-adapted ,
- ill-shaped ,
- in poor taste ,
- incompetent ,
- inproficient ,
- mistimed ,
- no go ,
- no good ,
- no way ,
- not able ,
- not cut out for ,
- not effective ,
- not equal to ,
- not have it ,
- not up to ,
- off-base ,
- out-of-place ,
- over-wrought ,
- prentice ,
- shooting blanks ,
- sidelined ,
- splay ,
- spring chicken ,
- unadept ,
- unallowable ,
- uncool ,
- unequipped ,
- unfamiliar with ,
- unfit ,
- unfledged ,
- ungrounded ,
- unpersuasive ,
- unskillful ,
- wet behind ears .
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How to use "Inept" in context?
There are many things that people can accuse others of, but ineptitude is generally considered an underhanded way to dismiss someone. In essence, ineptitude suggests that the person is not up to the task at hand, and often lacks the skills or knowledge needed to satisfactorily complete the task. This can be frustrating and demoralizing, especially when the individual believes they are capable of doing the task. By definition, ineptitude cannot be explained or justified - it's simply a lack of competence. And while it may not always be easy to identify, ineptitude can often be the result of poor judgement or bad planning.
Paraphrases for Inept:
Paraphrases are highlighted according to their relevancy:
- highest relevancy
- medium relevancy
- lowest relevancy
-
Equivalence
-
Adjective
incompetent.
-
Adjective
-
Independent
-
Adjective
awkward, inappropriate, ineffective, misguided, unable, unsuitable.
-
Adjective
-
Other Related
-
Adjective
clumsy, inadequate, incapable, ineffectual, inefficient, unfit.
-
Adjective
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