inept
pronunciation
How to pronounce inept in British English:
UK [ɪˈnept]
How to pronounce inept in American English:
US [ɪˈnept]
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- Adjective:
- not elegant or graceful in expression
- generally incompetent and ineffectual
- revealing lack of perceptiveness or judgment or finesse
Word Origin
- inept (adj.)
- c. 1600, from Old French inepte (14c.) or directly from Latin ineptus "unsuitable, improper, absurd, awkward, silly, tactless," from in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + aptus "apt" (see apt). Related: Ineptly; ineptness.
Example
- 1. The government 's early relief efforts were inept .
- 2. The result has been a succession of inept leaders and the absence of a coherent policy agenda .
- 3. This suggests that many second-act chief executives deserve some of the blame for the problems they have to fix , if only because of inept succession planning .
- 4. This proved handy after mr thaksin 's allies won an election in december 2007 and an inept military government was disbanded .
- 5. Only inept officials would burden children with such a requirement rather than install speed bumps , others insisted .