inept

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“
Their pilot looked inept, and I think the ambassador is correct.

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Definitions (9)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (3)

  1. adjective Not apt or fitting; inappropriate.
  2. adjective Displaying a lack of judgment, sense, or reason; foolish: an inept remark.
  3. adjective Bungling or clumsy; incompetent: inept handling of the account.

Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (2)

Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (1)

Toggle WordNet definitions WordNet (3)

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Examples

  • She learned that the Romanovs were hopelessly inept, their court irredeemably corrupt. —  The Cardinal of the Kremlin
  • Set up standards of achievement open to all, to the least, to the most inept -- and you stop the impetus to effort in all men, great or small. —  The Fountainhead
  • So inept was the leadership from Washington that it seemed America was afraid to celebrate its birthday lest citizens gather in the street; only the energy and enthusiasm of certain state leaders could save the anniversary, and no one had a more imaginative proposal than Paul Garrett, chairman of the Colorado commission. —  Centennial
  • Their pilot looked inept, and I think the ambassador is correct. —  CNN Transcript Apr 11, 2001
  • Please feel free to ask any questions you like. —  The Black Hole
 

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Inept has been looked up 378 times, favorited twice, listed 22 times, and commented on 4 times.

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Roget's II Roget's II: The New Thesaurus

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Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, Third Edition by the Editors of the American Heritage® Dictionary. Copyright © 2003, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Etymologies (2)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Latin ineptus : in-, not; see in-1 + aptus, suitable; see apt.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (1)

  1. = French inepte = Spanish Portuguese inepto = Italian inetto, from Latin ineptus, unsuitable, improper, senseless, from in- privative + aptus, suitable: see apt. Cf. inapt.
 

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/ɪnˈɛpt/
by American Heritage

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