inept
adjective
in·ept i-ˈnept 
1
: generally incompetent : bungling
inept leadership
2
: lacking in fitness or aptitude : unfit
inept at sports
3
: not suitable to the time, place, or occasion : inappropriate often to an absurd degree
an inept metaphor
4
: lacking sense or reason : foolish
ineptly
i-ˈnep(t)-lē
adverb ineptness
i-ˈnept-nəs
noun 
Synonyms
- inapt
- incapable
- incompetent
- inexpert
- unable
- unfit
- unfitted
- unqualified
- unskilled
- unskillful
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Not only does the post have a narrow mandate, covering such sexy subjects as nuclear waste and solar energy, but the secretary presides over the most inept bureaucrats in the land. 
Franklin Foer, New Republic, 3 July 2000 The real hackers have an understanding of technology at a basic level. … The rest are talentless poseurs and hangers-on, either completely inept or basic criminals. Bruce Schneier, Secrets & Lies, 2000 To Cornelius, the White House travel office must have seemed—as it would have to any of the others who had served on the tight ship of the campaign's travel operation—an appallingly inept … operation. Peter J. Boyer, New Yorker, 15 Apr. 1996 He was completely inept at sports. He made an inept attempt to apologize.
Franklin Foer, New Republic, 3 July 2000 The real hackers have an understanding of technology at a basic level. … The rest are talentless poseurs and hangers-on, either completely inept or basic criminals. Bruce Schneier, Secrets & Lies, 2000 To Cornelius, the White House travel office must have seemed—as it would have to any of the others who had served on the tight ship of the campaign's travel operation—an appallingly inept … operation. Peter J. Boyer, New Yorker, 15 Apr. 1996 He was completely inept at sports. He made an inept attempt to apologize. Recent Examples on the Web Part of that was Trevon Diggs' coverage, but Washington's inept offense is McLaurin's biggest problem. Tony Holm, USA TODAY, 27 Dec. 2021 But the most urgent complaint, spanning industries and incomes, is that the working world’s new clocks are just wrong: inept at capturing offline activity, unreliable at assessing hard-to-quantify tasks and prone to undermining the work itself. New York Times, 14 Aug. 2022 The offense was equally inept and lethargic in that early going, but if D is going to be the Warriors’ calling card during Curry’s absence, that quarter is going to have to be an outlier. Scott Ostler, San Francisco Chronicle, 20 Mar. 2022 The Republicans sat silent, stone-faced, and inept. Anthony Kinnett, National Review, 10 Mar. 2022 The history of nuclear power in America is one of rushed and slipshod engineering, unwarranted assurances of public safety, political influence and financial chicanery, inept and duplicitous regulators, and mismanagement on a grand scale. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 6 Jan. 2022 Russia’s goal, according to American intelligence assessments, would be to make Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, look inept and defenseless — and perhaps provide an excuse for an invasion. New York Times, 20 Dec. 2021 The three-time Cy Young Award winner got a head start on what's sure to be a celebration of his career by dazzling the struggling Angels, who have been offensively inept while losing 10 of their previous 12. Greg Beacham, ajc, 16 July 2022 Anyone who’s sat through an inept or awkward corporate presentation at work can attest that the Jan. 6 hearings are not that. Inkoo Kang, Washington Post, 23 June 2022 See More
Tony Holm, USA TODAY, 27 Dec. 2021 But the most urgent complaint, spanning industries and incomes, is that the working world’s new clocks are just wrong: inept at capturing offline activity, unreliable at assessing hard-to-quantify tasks and prone to undermining the work itself. New York Times, 14 Aug. 2022 The offense was equally inept and lethargic in that early going, but if D is going to be the Warriors’ calling card during Curry’s absence, that quarter is going to have to be an outlier. Scott Ostler, San Francisco Chronicle, 20 Mar. 2022 The Republicans sat silent, stone-faced, and inept. Anthony Kinnett, National Review, 10 Mar. 2022 The history of nuclear power in America is one of rushed and slipshod engineering, unwarranted assurances of public safety, political influence and financial chicanery, inept and duplicitous regulators, and mismanagement on a grand scale. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 6 Jan. 2022 Russia’s goal, according to American intelligence assessments, would be to make Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, look inept and defenseless — and perhaps provide an excuse for an invasion. New York Times, 20 Dec. 2021 The three-time Cy Young Award winner got a head start on what's sure to be a celebration of his career by dazzling the struggling Angels, who have been offensively inept while losing 10 of their previous 12. Greg Beacham, ajc, 16 July 2022 Anyone who’s sat through an inept or awkward corporate presentation at work can attest that the Jan. 6 hearings are not that. Inkoo Kang, Washington Post, 23 June 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle French inepte, from Latin ineptus, from in- + aptus apt
First Known Use
1542, in the meaning defined at sense 2
Kids Definition
inept
adjective
in·ept i-ˈnept
1
: not suited to the occasion
an inept remark
2
: lacking in skill or ability
an inept painter
inept
adjective
1
as in incompetent
lacking qualities (as knowledge, skill, or ability) required to do a job a well-meaning but inept assistant who can't seem to keep appointments straight Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- incompetent
- unfit
- unfitted
- incapable
- inexperienced
- unskilled
- unable
- unprepared
- unqualified
- ineligible
- inefficient
- ineffective
- inapt
- useless
- ineffectual
- inexpert
- unskillful
- amateurish
- unprofessional
- worthless
- untrained
- callow
- green
- dilettantish
- disqualified
- unequipped
- raw
- wanting
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- competent
- capable
- skilled
- skillful
- able
- qualified
- expert
- prepared
- trained
- adept
- ready
- fit
- ultracompetent
- experienced
- seasoned
- accomplished
- overqualified
- veteran
- consummate
- virtuoso
- practised
- ace
- versatile
- crack
- practiced
- protean
- all-round
- all-around
2
as in inappropriate
not appropriate for a particular occasion or situation an inept comparison between nursing-home residents and day-care children that many found offensive Synonyms & Similar Words
- inappropriate
- unsuitable
- improper
- incorrect
- wrong
- unhappy
- unfit
- irrelevant
- unfortunate
- inapt
- incongruous
- inconsistent
- unseemly
- graceless
- unbecoming
- infelicitous
- perverse
- bad
- awkward
- unacceptable
- indecorous
- unapt
- inapposite
- malapropos
- untoward
- amiss
- untimely
- naughty
- inopportune
- mismatched
- inapplicable
- unsatisfactory
- out of place
- sinful
- out of the way
- immaterial
- unseasonable
- extraneous
- incompatible
- ungraceful
- uncongenial
- blameworthy
- irrelative
- censurable
- gauche
- blamable
- forbidden
- prohibited
- proscribed
- banned
- disallowed
- outlawed
- interdicted
- barred
- misbecoming
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- appropriate
- correct
- proper
- suitable
- happy
- becoming
- fortunate
- relevant
- timely
- seemly
- fitting
- relative
- right
- genteel
- apt
- felicitous
- applicable
- befitting
- congenial
- opportune
- meet
- decorous
- fit
- compatible
- satisfactory
- harmonious
- seasonable
- pointed
- adequate
- acceptable
- authorized
- pat
- permitted
- material
- apposite
- germane
- decent
- promoted
- passable
- endorsed
- respectable
- approved
- okay
- sanctioned
- licensed
- fine
- exemplary
- tolerable
- supported
- creditable
- commendable
- apropos
- kosher
- allowed
- blameless
- irreproachable
- encouraged
- abetted
- indorsed
- all right
- balanced
- harmonious
- congruous
- consonant
- companionate
- OK
3
as in clumsy
showing or marked by a lack of skill and tact (as in dealing with a situation) an inept effort to become friends with their future son-in-law Synonyms & Similar Words
- clumsy
- awkward
- bungling
- incompetent
- inexperienced
- botched
- maladroit
- careless
- fumbled
- inexpert
- sloppy
- inefficient
- amateurish
- ineffectual
- unprofessional
- unskilled
- unpolished
- amateur
- ineffective
- ineffectual
- tactless
- unskillful
- misguided
- crude
- undiplomatic
- misdirected
- green
- tacky
- ill-advised
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- competent
- adroit
- adept
- capable
- skilled
- deft
- skillful
- talented
- professional
- facile
- clever
- proficient
- dexterous
- able
- dextrous
- masterful
- expert
- polished
- accomplished
- masterly
- easy
- consummate
- diplomatic
- gracious
- smooth
- effortless
- tactful
- crackerjack
4
as in stupid
showing or marked by a lack of good sense or judgment she offers one inept suggestion after another for saving the parish church Synonyms & Similar Words
- stupid
- foolish
- silly
- absurd
- idiotic
- mad
- crazy
- insane
- irrational
- dumb
- lunatic
- weak
- fool
- ridiculous
- witless
- daft
- fatuous
- asinine
- unwise
- simple
- zany
- nonsensical
- brainless
- wacky
- dippy
- slow
- daffy
- unreasonable
- moronic
- idiotical
- loony
- clueless
- screwball
- simpleminded
- preposterous
- kooky
- dotty
- senseless
- nutty
- harebrained
- tomfool
- jerky
- lunkheaded
- unintelligent
- obtuse
- whacky
- crackpot
- imbecile
- half-witted
- thoughtless
- unreasoning
- half-baked
- doltish
- sappy
- looney
- dunderheaded
- cuckoo
- weak-minded
- bubbleheaded
- oafish
- illogical
- dopey
- thickheaded
- cockeyed
- vacuous
- laughable
- dim-witted
- gormless
- feebleminded
- airheaded
- ludicrous
- pinheaded
- farcical
- dull
- imbecilic
- balmy
- dense
- mindless
- lamebrain
- dorky
- opaque
- featherheaded
- unreasoned
- kookie
- invalid
- unsound
- out to lunch
- buffoonish
- clownish
- knuckleheaded
- dim
- fallacious
- softheaded
- brain-dead
- slow-witted
- thick
- empty-headed
- lamebrained
- soft
- chuckleheaded
- nonrational
- dopy
- surd
- birdbrained
- ill-advised
- chowderheaded
- notional
- boobish
- unconsidered
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- wise
- sagacious
- clever
- prudent
- intelligent
- sensible
- sound
- sane
- judicious
- smart
- reasonable
- bright
- rational
- logical
- sage
- brainy
- valid
- sapient
- well-advised
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of inept are awkward, clumsy, gauche, and maladroit. While all these words mean "not marked by ease (as of performance, movement, or social conduct)," inept often implies complete failure or inadequacy.
a hopelessly inept defense attorney
The words awkward and inept can be used in similar contexts, but awkward is widely applicable and may suggest unhandiness, inconvenience, lack of muscular control, embarrassment, or lack of tact.
periods of awkward silence
The meanings of clumsy and inept largely overlap; however, clumsy implies stiffness and heaviness and so may connote inflexibility, unwieldiness, or lack of ordinary skill.
a clumsy mechanic
The synonyms gauche and inept are sometimes interchangeable, but gauche implies the effects of shyness, inexperience, or ill breeding.
felt gauche and unsophisticated at formal parties
In some situations, the words maladroit and inept are roughly equivalent. However, maladroit suggests a tendency to create awkward situations.
a maladroit politician