adj
feckless
FEHK-luhs
Feckless (adj) means lacking direction, competence, or effectiveness; irresponsible and ineffective. Example: “The feckless manager kept missing deadlines and blaming everyone else.”
adj
1
Lacking direction, competence, or effectiveness; irresponsible and ineffective.
"The feckless manager kept missing deadlines and blaming everyone else."
"His feckless attempt to fix the leak just made it worse."
How to use feckless
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishUseless and irresponsible — someone who never gets anything done properly.
Common pairings
feckless leader
feckless attempt
utterly feckless
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more feckless
- Superlative
- most feckless
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The _____ manager kept missing deadlines and blaming everyone else.
Etymology
From Scots feckless, "without feck (effect)" — built from effect + -less.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for feckless
See all rhymes for feckless →Frequently asked questions
What does “feckless” mean?
The word “feckless” means lacking direction, competence, or effectiveness; irresponsible and ineffective. In plain terms, useless and irresponsible — someone who never gets anything done properly.
How do you pronounce “feckless”?
“Feckless” is pronounced FEHK-luhs (/ˈfɛkləs/ in IPA).
How do you use “feckless” in a sentence?
Here is “feckless” used in a sentence: “The feckless manager kept missing deadlines and blaming everyone else.”
What is the opposite of “feckless”?
The opposite of “feckless” — its antonyms — are effective, efficient, meaningful, useful and purposeful.
What part of speech is “feckless”?
“Feckless” is an adjective.
