Definition

The state of being unskilled or clumsy in a particular task or activity.

Example

His ineptness at handling the situation led to further complications.

Conversation

Did you see Jake's presentation yesterday?

Yeah, it was pretty rough; his ineptness with the software was obvious.

I felt bad for him, though; we all have our moments of ineptness.

True, but I hope he learns from it and gets better next time.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Ineptness → It is formed from "inept" (from Latin "ineptus", meaning unsuitable or unfit) and "-ness" (meaning the state or quality of). The word "ineptness" refers to the state of being unsuitable or lacking skill.

Memory Tip

Think of someone being 'unsuitable' or 'unfit' ('inept') for a task, and the '-ness' indicates the quality of that state.

Visually Confused Words