efficient

adjective

i-ˈfi-shənt How to pronounce efficient (audio)
Definition of efficientnext
as in effective
producing or capable of producing a desired result that manual lawn mower is not a very efficient tool for doing a huge yard

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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How does the adjective efficient contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of efficient are effective, effectual, and efficacious. While all these words mean "producing or capable of producing a result," efficient suggests an acting or a potential for action or use in such a way as to avoid loss or waste of energy in effecting, producing, or functioning.

an efficient small car

In what contexts can effective take the place of efficient?

While in some cases nearly identical to efficient, effective stresses the actual production of or the power to produce an effect.

an effective rebuttal

When would effectual be a good substitute for efficient?

The words effectual and efficient are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, effectual suggests the accomplishment of a desired result especially as viewed after the fact.

the measures to stop the pilfering proved effectual

Where would efficacious be a reasonable alternative to efficient?

The synonyms efficacious and efficient are sometimes interchangeable, but efficacious suggests possession of a special quality or virtue that gives effective power.

a detergent that is efficacious in removing grease

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of efficient To be a successful entrepreneur, the billionaire investor tells Fortune in an exclusive interview that business owners need to know how to work with AI agents to make their businesses more efficient and cut costs. —Nino Paoli, Fortune, 22 July 2025 Creating a seamless and efficient home-charging experience requires some careful planning. —Melanie Marshall, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 July 2025 Electric vehicles, especially high-performance models geared toward enthusiasts, must be both interesting and efficient. —Chad Kirchner, ArsTechnica, 21 July 2025 By having the facility on site, SpaceX hopes to make the delivery of those gases more efficient by eliminating the need to have dozens of trucks deliver them from Brownsville. —ArsTechnica, 11 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for efficient
Recent Examples of Synonyms for efficient
  1. effective
  2. productive
  3. potent
Adjective
  • Seniors who participate in the AmeriCorps programs, for example, also are involved in different but related programs that may now be less effective because AmeriCorps dollars provided transportation or other services.
    — Dan Horn, The Enquirer, 23 July 2025
  • Our tester found the Rubbermaid Reveal to be especially effective for detail cleaning in tight spaces like grout lines and corners.
    — Maggie Horton, People.com, 22 July 2025
Definition of effective
Adjective
  • His obsession is with the innumerable recordings that have been issued in the past seventy-five years or so—a glorious panoply of changing musical taste that reflects the interplay of art and commerce in the most productive and wasteful culture the world has ever known.
    — David Denby, New Yorker, 20 July 2025
  • The really good, productive players have always been that way.
    — Elliott Teaford, Oc Register, 18 July 2025
Definition of productive
Adjective
  • The moment for me in that scene that’s the most potent is actually not the poster.
    — Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 20 July 2025
  • Those soft ticket sales suggest that nostalgia isn’t nearly as potent as Sony might have hoped when greenlighting the slasher sequel and reuniting the original 1998 film’s stars, Freddie Prinze Jr. and Jennifer Love Hewitt.
    — Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 20 July 2025
Definition of potent

Browse Nearby Words

efficiency apartments
efficient
efficiently
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Cite this Entry

“Efficient.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/efficient. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.

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