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Definition of inept

inept

/ɪˈnɛpt/
in · ept
Adverb:ineptly
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inept Lexical Profile

inept Game Scores & Validity

• adjective

1

Having or showing no skill; clumsy or incompetent.

Example

"The committee criticized the administration's inept handling of the budget crisis."

2

Unbefitting or out of place; unsuitable or foolish in a given situation.

Example

"His inept remark during the solemn ceremony drew disapproving glances from the guests."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
View all antonyms for inept

Word Nuance & Usage

Do not confuse 'inept' (lacking skill, clumsy) with 'inapt' (unsuitable or inappropriate for the occasion), although both derive from the same Latin root.

• Rhymes for inept

• Nearby Words

ineligible
ineligibly
ineloquent
inept
ineptitude
ineptly
ineptness

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed in the mid-16th century from Latin ineptus ('unsuitable, absurd, foolish'), formed from the privative prefix in- ('not') and aptus ('fitted, suited').

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Inept. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/inept
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