Meaning & use
efficiency
The quality of achieving a desired result with the least waste of time, effort, or resources.
See it in a sentence
The factory improved efficiency by rearranging the assembly line to reduce wasted motion.
Her efficiency at work meant she finished tasks well before every deadline.
A note on using this word
Efficiency emphasizes minimizing waste, while effectiveness emphasizes simply achieving the intended goal, however resources are used.
Words with a similar meaning
productivityeffectiveness
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
inefficiency
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “efficiency”, then compare your use with the examples above.
Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.