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
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
On top of his inept pitching decisions, Roberts actually sought to have the weak-hitting Michael Conforto pinch-hit on Saturday.
—Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2025
Knee argues that the inconsistency of the geographical settings goes hand in hand with the how their American protagonists are depicted as inept operators whose heroism is ambiguous.
—H.m.a. Leow, JSTOR Daily, 18 June 2025
An overly attentive, socially inept pain in the arse.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 21 May 2025
Fueled by the radical groupthink Far Left faculty, inept University leadership, donations by foreign adversaries, and proHamas terrorists, Harvard has fully embraced and tolerated the raging antisemitism threatening the lives and physical safety of Jewish students on campus.
—Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inept
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Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2025
Knee argues that the inconsistency of the geographical settings goes hand in hand with the how their American protagonists are depicted as inept operators whose heroism is ambiguous.
—H.m.a. Leow, JSTOR Daily, 18 June 2025
An overly attentive, socially inept pain in the arse.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 21 May 2025
Fueled by the radical groupthink Far Left faculty, inept University leadership, donations by foreign adversaries, and proHamas terrorists, Harvard has fully embraced and tolerated the raging antisemitism threatening the lives and physical safety of Jewish students on campus.
—Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inept
Cite this Entry
“Inept.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inept. Accessed 21 Jul. 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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