Reverse Dictionary: INEFFECTUAL

ADJECTIVES
► CHINLESS said of someone of weak character; incompetent, ineffectual → 1881 sl., orig. US
► DAMP weak, ineffectual → Brit. sl.
► DOWFART dull, stupid, foolish; lacking in spirit or courage; ineffectual → a1774 Sc. arch.
► DRIPPY ineffectual, incompetent → 1947 sl., orig. US
► DROOBY ineffectual, incompetent; contemptible → 1972 Aust. sl.
► DUD of a person: inept, ineffectual; lacking in talent or ability → 1914
► DUDGEON simple, unadorned; of poor or inferior quality; worthless, feeble, ineffectual → 1589 obs.
► FAGGOT weak, ineffectual → 1960s sl.
► FRUSTER ineffectual, meaningless, vain → 1488 Sc. obs.
► FRUSTRABLE capable of being frustrated or made ineffectual → 1673 obs.
► FRUSTRANEOUS leading to frustration, vain, useless, ineffectual, unprofitable → a1643 obs.
► FUTILITOUS futile, useless, ineffectual → 1765 obs.
► FUTILOUS futile, useless, ineffectual, vain → 1607 obs.
► HALF-ARSED ► HALF-ASSED careless, inadequate, inferior, unsatisfactory, ineffectual, incompetent, second-rate → 1865 US sl.
► HALF-ASS careless, ineffectual, inadequate, incompetent, second-rate; mediocre, insignificant, unsatisfactory → M19 sl.
► HAM ineffectual, incompetent → 1941 sl.
► HOPELESS ineffectual, incompetent → 1922 sl.
► JACK-LEG ineffectual, incompetent; amateur, untrained; said of someone without skill or training → 1850 US sl.
► LAME easily imposed upon; stupid; inept; ineffectual; incompetent; unaware; inexperienced → 1935 US sl., esp. Black usage
► LIKE A FART IN A WINDSTORM puny; ineffectual → 20C
► MICKEY MOUSE applied to something small and ineffectual; trivial, time-wasting → 1951
► MOOKY foolish, contemptible, ineffectual → 1967 US sl.
► MUFFISH characteristic of an incompetent person; foolish; ineffectual; also, old-fashioned → 1843 colloq.
► NEBBICH ► NEBBISH ► NEBBISHE ► NEBISH ineffectual, incompetent → 1941 sl.
► NEBBISHER ineffectual, incompetent → 1960 sl.
► NEBBISHY ineffectual, awkward, clumsy → 1993 Amer. dial.
► NERDY ineffectual, incompetent → 1978 sl., orig. US
► NONCEY stupid, ineffectual, useless → 2000 sl.
► PATHETIC ineffectual, incompetent → 1937 sl.
► POOPY ineffectual, incompetent → 1957 colloq., chiefly US
► SPASTIC ineffectual, incompetent → 1981 sl.
► THAVELESS ► THIEVELESS listless, spiritless, wanting in energy or force; aimless, ineffectual, bootless → 1835 Sc. & Ireland
► UNABLE TO FIGHT ONE’S WAY OUT OF A PAPERBAG ► UNABLE TO FIGHT ONE’S WAY OUT OF A WET PAPERBAG ineffectual; lacking strength; lacking spirit → Aust. sl.
► UNTOGETHER ineffectual; confused → 1960s African-American sl.
► UP TO PUTTY worthless, useless; ineffectual → 1916 Aust. colloq.
► WEAK AS A WET WHISTLE very weak or ineffectual → 1999 Aust. sl. (Bk.)
► WET ineffectual, incompetent → 1916 Brit. sl.
► WIMPISH ineffectual, incompetent → 1925 sl., orig. US
► WIMPY ineffectual, incompetent → 1967 sl., orig. US

ADVERBS
► FECKLESSLY feebly, ineffectually; wretchedly → 1862
► IMPERTINENTLY to no purpose, with no effect → 1614 obs.
► NOT FOR TOFFEE ineffectually, incompetently; used to denote incompetence → 1914 sl.

NOUNS
► BIT OF FLUFF anything considered insignificant or ineffectual → 1980s sl.
► PUSSIVANTING a fussing, meddling; also, ineffectual activity; pointless bustle → 1888 Eng. dial.
► WUSSINESS weakness; ineffectuality → 1980s Amer. sl.

NOUNS – PERSON
► ACE a foolish or ineffectual person; a clumsy person; an oaf, a jerk: used sarcastically → 1969 US students’ sl.
► APPLE a foolish, ineffectual person, a sucker → 1928 sl.
► BAG OF WIND a person who speaks or writes at length but says little of substance or value; a pompously verbose speaker; a boaster; also, a loud-mouthed but ineffectual person → 1816 colloq., derogatory
► BENCHER any idle or ineffectual person → L19 US sl.
► BENCH-WARMER a person who sits idly on a bench; any lazy or ineffectual person → 1662 sl.
► BIG GIRL’S BLOUSE a weak, cowardly, timid, or oversensitive man; an ineffectual person; an effeminate male → 1969 UK sl.
► BIT OF FLUFF an insignificant or ineffectual person → 1984 sl. (Bk.)
► BUMBLER a person who does something in a confused, blundering, or ineffectual way; an incompetent person; a bungler → c1530
► CHINLESS WONDER an ineffectual (young) upper-class man → 1962 Brit. sl.
► CREAM PUFF a weak or ineffectual person → 1920
► DEADHEAD a dull and ineffectual person; a lifeless or boring person → 1907 sl.
► DRIP an ineffectual or incompetent person → 1932 sl.
► DROOB ► DRUBE an ineffectual or incompetent person; an unprepossessing or contemptible person. esp. a man → 1933 Aust. sl.
► DROOP an ineffectual, incompetent, or languid person; a fool → 1932 US sl.
► DROOPY-DRAWERS an ineffectual or incompetent person → 1939 sl.
► DUB an ineffectual or incompetent person → 1887 sl., orig. & chiefly US
► DUD an ineffectual or inept person → 1908
► DUFFER an ineffectual or incompetent person; one of no ability → c1730 UK sl.
► EGG a foolish, ineffectual, or obnoxious person → 1918 US sl.
► FEEB an ineffectual or incompetent person → 1911 US sl.
► FEEBLE a feeble person; a weak, frail, or ineffectual person → 1340 obs.
► FUD an old-fashioned person; an ineffectual old fogy → 1942 colloq.
► FUDDY-DUDDY a fussy person; an old-fashioned person; an ineffectual old fogy → 1904 sl.
► GALAH a fool, a stupid person; a simpleton; an ineffectual person → 1938 Aust. sl. 
► GAWDELPUS ► GAWD-HELP-US an ineffectual, useless, or incompetent person; a generally miserable looking person → 1908 sl.
► GAYLORD an ineffectual person; hence, a homosexual man; often as a term of abuse → 1976 sl., chiefly Brit.
► GAZOOK an ineffectual or incompetent person; a clumsy oaf → 1901 sl., orig. US
► GEEK an ineffectual or incompetent person → 1876 sl., orig. Brit.
► GINK a dull, ineffectual, or insignificant person; a jerk → 1906 sl.
► GIRL’S BLOUSE a weakling; an ineffectual person; an effeminate male  → 1969 UK sl.
► GREAT GIRL’S BLOUSE an ineffectual male, often with suggestion of effeminacy → 1983 Brit. sl.
► HALF-PINT a short, small or insignificant person; an ineffectual person, esp. a light-built male; a child → 1876 US sl.
► HALF-STEPPER one who promises things, but never properly achieves them; hence, one who cannot be depended upon; an ineffectual person → 1981 sl., orig. US prison usage
► HARRIS TWEED a small, ineffectual man → 2004 Brit. rhyming sl. for ‘weed’ (Bk.)
► MALLIFUFF ► MAULIFUFF an ineffectual, fussy woman who lacks energy to get things done → 1808 Sc.
► MARSHMALLOW a timid, fearful, ineffectual person 2009 → Amer. sl. (Bk.)
► MESS an ineffectual or incompetent person → 1936 sl.
► MILKTOAST a timid, ineffectual person →  1989 (Bk.)
► MOOK  a term of abuse; an incompetent, ineffectual, foolish, or stupid person; a contemptible person (esp. with reference to low social status) → 1930 US & Caribbean colloq., derogatory
► MOPOKE a stupid, ineffectual, or tiresome person; a slow or lugubrious person; a fool; often used as a term of abuse → 1845 chiefly Aust.
► MOPUS a simpleton; a dull, inactive, stupid, or ineffectual person; a worthless person; a dreamer → a1635 obs. exc. Eng. dial.
► MUPPET an incompetent or ineffectual person; an idiot; an enthusiastic but inept person; a person prone to mishaps through naivety → 1989 sl.
► MUSH-HEAD an ineffectual or incompetent person; one who is easily influenced → 1846 US sl.
► NAF a fool, a weakling, an ineffectual person → 1978 S. Afr. sl.
► NEBBICH ► NEBBISH ► NEBBISHE ► NEBISH an ineffectual or incompetent person → 1941 Amer. dial.
► NEBBISHER an ineffectual or incompetent person → 1960 sl.
► NELLY an effeminate or homosexual man; generally, a silly, ineffectual, or fussy person; a sissy → 1931 colloq., derogatory
► NERD ► NURD a person lacking in social skills, fashion sense, or both; someone studious but socially inept; an ineffectual or incompetent person; an oaf, a jerk → → 1951 chiefly US colloq.
► NERK an ineffectual or incompetent person → 1966 Brit. sl.
► NO-HOPER an ineffectual or incompetent person → 1943 sl., orig. Aust.
► NUMBNUTS an ineffectual man → Aust. sl.
► PALOOKA an ineffectual or incompetent person → 1925 sl., chiefly US
► PISHER an ineffectual or incompetent person → 1942 US sl.
► PLUG an ineffectual or incompetent person → 1848 sl., chiefly US
► POGO an ineffectual or incompetent person → 1972 Aust. sl.
► POOP an ineffectual or incompetent person → 1893 colloq.
► POOP-STICK a fool, an ineffectual person → 1930 sl.
► PRICK a stupid, contemptible or annoying person; an ineffectual or incompetent man → 1598 sl.
► PRUNE an ineffectual or incompetent person → 1895 sl., orig. US
► PUNK an ineffectual or incompetent person →  M19 US sl.
► RABBIT a timid or ineffectual person; a poor or novice player → a1616
► SAD BASTARD a contemptible person; an ineffectual person → 2003 UK sl.
► SADIE SACK an ineffectual, unlucky, not very bright female → 1989 sl. (Bk.)
► SAD SACK a hopelessly ineffectual person → 1943 sl. 
► SAUSAGE a person easily imposed upon; an ineffectual person → 1896 US students’ sl.
► SCHLEMIEL a fool; a clumsy person; a gullible person; an ineffectual or incompetent person → 1892 sl., chiefly US
► SCHLEP ► SCHLEPP ► SHLEP ►SHLEPP an idler, a worthless or ineffectual person; an oaf, a slob, a jerk, a stupid or awkward person → 1939 Amer. dial.
► SCHLEPPER ► SHLEPPER an idler, a worthless or ineffectual person; an oaf, a slob, a jerk, a stupid or awkward person; an insignificant person; a second-rater → 1934 sl. orig. US
► SCISSOR-BILL ► SCISSORS-BILL an ineffectual or incompetent person → 1871 sl., chiefly US
► SHOWER 1. a group of ineffectual or incompetent people → 1941 Brit. sl.
2. an ineffectual or incompetent person → 1949 Brit. sl.
► SILLY OLD SAUSAGE ► SILLY SAUSAGE an ineffectual, easily imposed-upon person → L19 sl.
► SPARE PRICK, A a person who is conspicuously out of place in a particular situation, esp. in an embarrassing way; an idle, ineffectual, or superfluous person → 1961 Brit. sl.
► SPARE PRICK AT A WEDDING, A a person who is conspicuously out of place in a particular situation, esp. in an embarrassing way; an idle, ineffectual, or superfluous person → 1980 Brit. sl.
► SPAS an ineffectual or incompetent person → 1965 sl.
► SPASTIC  one who is uncoordinated, ineffectual, or incompetent; a fool; an idiot; a stupid person; a clumsy, unattractive person → 1968 sl., offensive
► SPAZZ a spastic person; an ineffectual, useless, or incompetent person; a fool; an idiot; a stupid person; a clumsy, unattractive person → 1965 sl., derogatory
► STIFF an ineffectual or incompetent person → 1882 sl., orig. US
► STUMBLE-BUM an ineffectual or incompetent person → 1932 sl., orig. & chiefly US
► TONK an effeminate, weak, or ineffectual person → Aust. sl.
► TURKEY an ineffectual or incompetent person → 1951 US  sl.
► TWERK an ineffectual or worthless person; a fool; a ‘jerk’ → 1928 colloq., orig. & chiefly US
► WALLY a stupid, foolish or inept person; an ineffectual person; a bungler; a moron → 1969 UK sl. 
► WEENIE an ineffectual, despised person → 1960s sl.
► WEENIEHEAD an ineffectual, despised person → 1960s sl.
► WEINER-HEAD an ineffectual, despised person → 1960s sl.
► WET an ineffectual, weak, foolish person → 1930s sl., orig. UK juvenile usage
► WET END an ineffectual, weak, foolish person → 1930s sl., orig. UK juvenile usage
► WET FISH an ineffectual or incompetent person → 1944 sl.
► WETSO an ineffectual, weak, foolish person → 1930s sl., orig. UK juvenile usage
► WIFFER-WAFFER a useless, ineffectual person → 1924 Sc.
► WIFFIE-WAFFLER a useless, ineffectual person → 1935 Sc.
► WIMP a spineless, whimpering, undesirable person; an ineffectual or incompetent person; a weak, ineffectual man → 1920 sl., orig. US
► WOOZ an overly timid or ineffectual person; a wimp → Aust. sl.
► WUS ► WUSS a weak, timid person; an ineffectual person; a wimp; someone who cannot be depended on; an exceedingly pathetic, timid, or ineffectual person → 1960s US sl.
► ZILCH an ordinary or completely dull, ineffectual, unattractive, or insignificant person; a person without much social or academic ability; a person of little consequence; a nobody; a socially inept outcast → 1967 US sl.

PHRASES
► COULDN’T FART INTO A BOTTLE said of a hopeless, ineffectual person → 1999 Aust. sl. (Bk.)
► COULDN’T FIGHT HIS WAY OUT OF A PAPER BAG said of a hopeless, ineffectual person → 1999 Aust. sl. (Bk.)
► COULDN’T KNOCK THE SKIN OFF A RICE PUDDING physically weak; ineffectual → 1999 Aust. sl. (Bk.)
► HE MUST HAVE GOT HIS LICENSE OUT OF A CORNFLAKES PACKET said of an incompetent driver, or of any ineffectual person → 1999 Aust. sl. (Bk.)

VERBS
► ABORTIVATE to render abortive; to render ineffectual or fruitless → c1630 obs.
► BUGGER ABOUT to lounge about; to waste time; to act ineffectually; to behave in a frivolous or stupid way → 1937
► BUGGER AROUND to lounge about; to waste time; to act ineffectually; to behave in a frivolous or stupid way → 1939
► BUGGERISE ► BUGGERISE ABOUT to behave aimlessly or ineffectually → 1996 Aust. sl. (Bk.)
► FART AROUND to waste time; to do something ineffectually or inefficiently → 2006 US sl. (Bk.)
► FLOG A DEAD HORSE to expend effort ineffectually or futilely → 1872
► FOOTLE to talk or act foolishly; to do anything in a feeble or ineffectual manner; to dawdle, to trifle, to potter; to idle, to waste time → 1892 sl.
► PAUCHLE to work in an ineffectual way, to bungle, to potter, to trifle → 1965 Sc.
► PISS AGAINST THE WIND to act ineffectually; to waste one’s time; to attempt something futile → 1642 sl.
► PISS IN THE WIND to behave ineffectually; to waste one’s time, to attempt something futile → 1970 sl.
► PONCE to act in an affected or ineffectual manner; to fool around; to mess about; to walk effeminately, to mince; chiefly said of a man → 1947
► QUIGGER to work in something messy or in an ineffectual, messy or muddling way → 1960 Sc.