inept
Significado: Lacking skill or ability; clumsy, incompetent, or awkward in performance. Can describe both physical clumsiness and general incompetence.
Inept is a blunt and unflattering adjective that implies fundamental lack of competence rather than a momentary lapse. An inept handling of a crisis suggests systemic failure, not bad luck. The word is particularly common in political commentary and organisational critique, where it often modifies 'handling,' 'performance,' 'management,' and 'leadership.' It is distinct from 'unskilled' (which is neutral) because inept carries a note of contempt or exasperation. The noun 'ineptitude' is equally damning and frequently appears in formal critiques.
Ejemplos
- The government's inept handling of the flood response left thousands of families without temporary housing for weeks. 政府对洪灾救援的无能处理导致数千个家庭数周没有临时住房。La ineptitud del gobierno en la gestión de la respuesta a las inundaciones dejó a miles de familias sin alojamiento temporal durante semanas.政府の洪水対応における無能な対処により、数千の家族が数週間にわたって仮設住居を得られなかった。정부의 홍수 대응에 대한 무능한 처리로 인해 수천 가구가 몇 주 동안 임시 주거지를 얻지 못했다.
- His inept attempts at small talk only made the awkward silence worse, as each joke fell flatter than the last. 他笨拙的寒暄尝试只使尴尬的沉默更加严重,每个笑话都比上一个更冷。Sus torpes intentos de entablar conversación solo empeoraron el incómodo silencio, pues cada chiste caía más en vacío que el anterior.彼のぎこちない世間話の試みは気まずい沈黙をさらに悪化させるだけで、冗談を言うたびに前のものより滑った。그의 어설픈 잡담 시도는 어색한 침묵을 더 악화시킬 뿐이었고, 농담을 할 때마다 이전보다 더 썰렁했다.
- The report criticised what it called a pattern of bureaucratic ineptitude that had allowed the problem to fester for years. 报告批评了所谓的官僚无能模式,使问题多年未得到解决。El informe criticó lo que calificó de patrón de ineptitud burocrática que había permitido que el problema se enquistase durante años.報告書は、問題を何年も放置してきた官僚的な無能さのパターンと称するものを批判した。보고서는 문제를 수년간 방치한 관료적 무능의 패턴이라고 지적하며 이를 비판했다.
Pronunciación
Guía de uso
Contexto: general, professional
Tono: negative
Origen e historia
From Latin ineptus (unsuitable, absurd, foolish), from in- (not) and aptus (fit, suitable). Entered English in the early 17th century, initially meaning inappropriate before shifting to its modern sense of incompetent.
Contexto cultural
Era: Modern
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
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