Efficiently
adv.capable, thoughtfulprofessional
What it means
With productive use of time, effort, money, or materials.
Reach for it when describing a method that reaches its output with little waste
The volunteers efficiently sorted every coat by size and condition.
Choose between these
6- playful
like clockwork
when reliable coordination feels impressively automatic
not when The idiom emphasizes predictability and can hide whether the process is wasteful.
- everyday
when work proceeds without interruption or friction
not when A smooth process can quietly consume far more time or material than necessary.
- warm
when order and tidy execution deserve notice
not when Neat work is not automatically fast, economical, or high-output.
- professional
when useful output fills the available time
not when Productively praises what was made, not whether resources were conserved.
- professional
when a repeatable sequence prevents omissions
not when Systematic work may be thorough but laborious rather than efficient.
- formal
economically
when restraint in spending or resource use is primary
not when Economically may tolerate a slower route in exchange for lower cost.
Said against
4- inefficiently
- wastefully
- clumsily
- slowly
It naturally appears in
3- operate efficiently
The smaller pump can operate efficiently across the full pressure range.
- work efficiently
Pairing each novice with a guide helped the crew work efficiently.
- efficiently designed
The efficiently designed case opens without tools for routine cleaning.
The word family
1Where this comes from
- wiktionary, English adverb, sense meaning in an efficient manner opens in a new tab · retrieved 2026-07-26
The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.