1
: generally incompetent : bungling
inept leadership
3
: not suitable to the time, place, or occasion : inappropriate often to an absurd degree
an inept metaphor
4
: lacking sense or reason : foolish
Synonyms
Examples of inept in a Sentence
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
Fans at Detroit’s Ford Field hadn’t witnessed such hideously inept quarterbacking since Sam Darnold’s appearance 12 days earlier.
—Kevin Cusick, Twin Cities, 24 Jan. 2025
In the last days of the Biden presidency, with the media focused on Senate hearings for Donald Trump’s second-term cabinet, now is a good time to recall just how historically inept Joe Biden’s cabinet members have been.
—A. J. Caschetta, National Review, 19 Jan. 2025
Sources tell TVLine that the trio consists of a socially inept tech millionaire, a wannabe influencer and a content generator for a SoCal cannabis shop.
—Ryan Schwartz, TVLine, 17 Jan. 2025
The inept Chief Inspector Mackintosh (Peter Kay) and up-and-coming copper Mukherjee (Lauren Patel) trying to carry out her investigation by the book complement the mishap-prone ensemble.
—Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 19 Dec. 2024
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Kevin Cusick, Twin Cities, 24 Jan. 2025
In the last days of the Biden presidency, with the media focused on Senate hearings for Donald Trump’s second-term cabinet, now is a good time to recall just how historically inept Joe Biden’s cabinet members have been.
—A. J. Caschetta, National Review, 19 Jan. 2025
Sources tell TVLine that the trio consists of a socially inept tech millionaire, a wannabe influencer and a content generator for a SoCal cannabis shop.
—Ryan Schwartz, TVLine, 17 Jan. 2025
The inept Chief Inspector Mackintosh (Peter Kay) and up-and-coming copper Mukherjee (Lauren Patel) trying to carry out her investigation by the book complement the mishap-prone ensemble.
—Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 19 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for inept
Dictionary Entries Near inept
Cite this Entry
“Inept.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inept. Accessed 1 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
inept
adjective
in·ept
in-ˈept 
1
: not suited for the occasion : inappropriate
an inept remark
2
: lacking in skill or ability : incompetent
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