feckless
Without drive or aim
Feckless means lacking initiative, strength of character, or sense of responsibility.
A feckless person drifts through situations without purpose or effectiveness: her feckless brother who can't hold a job, a feckless attempt at reform.
The word carries strong disapproval—it suggests someone not just ineffective but carelessly so.
Inattentive, prone to mistakes
- negligentFailing in due care
- recklessCarelessly ignoring danger
- thoughtlessShowing no consideration
- heedlessCareless of consequences
imprudent · remiss · derelict · shiftless · improvident · profligate · wasteful · lazy
Lacking aim or intention
- directionlessWithout aim or guidance
- unfocusedWithout clear direction
- driftingMoving without purpose
- rudderlessLacking guidance or direction
adrift · unmotivated · goalless · shiftless · idle · listless · unambitious · lackadaisical
Lacking skill or competence
- bunglingMishandling through incompetence
- uselessWithout practical value
- ineffectiveLacking power to achieve
- bumblingClumsily incompetent
incapable · unskilled · amateurish · fumbling · maladroit · botched · hapless · hopeless
Not consistently trustworthy
- untrustworthyNot deserving of confidence
- flakyCrumbly or unreliable
- inconsistentLacking steady uniformity
- erraticLacking regularity or consistency
unpredictable · capricious · unsteady · fickle · flighty · changeable · undisciplined · fly-by-night
Lacking courage or resolve
- gutlessLacking bravery or nerve
- cowardlyWithout bravery or nerve
- timidLacking courage or confidence
- wishy-washyLacking firmness or decisiveness
indecisive · vacillating · pusillanimous · lily-livered · irresolute · wavering · meek · submissive
careless
Inattentive, prone to mistakes
- negligentFailing in due care
- recklessCarelessly ignoring danger
- thoughtlessShowing no consideration
heedless · imprudent · remiss · derelict · shiftless · improvident · profligate · wasteful · lazy · apathetic
purposeless
Lacking aim or intention
- directionlessWithout aim or guidance
- unfocusedWithout clear direction
- driftingMoving without purpose
rudderless · adrift · unmotivated · goalless · shiftless · idle · listless · unambitious · lackadaisical · otiose
inept
Lacking skill or competence
- bunglingMishandling through incompetence
- uselessWithout practical value
- ineffectiveLacking power to achieve
bumbling · incapable · unskilled · amateurish · fumbling · maladroit · botched · hapless · hopeless · inadequate
undependable
Not consistently trustworthy
- untrustworthyNot deserving of confidence
- flakyCrumbly or unreliable
- inconsistentLacking steady uniformity
erratic · unpredictable · capricious · unsteady · fickle · flighty · changeable · undisciplined · fly-by-night
spineless
Lacking courage or resolve
wishy-washy · indecisive · vacillating · pusillanimous · lily-livered · irresolute · wavering · meek · submissive · passive
- futilefutile, useless, pointless, fruitless, vain
- recklessreckless, careless, rash, heedless, imprudent
- fancy wordsgrandiloquent, magniloquent, sesquipedalian, pulchritudinous, tintinnabulation
- null and voidvoid, null, invalid, null and void, nonbinding
fecklesseffective
Producing intended results
competent · capable · efficient · efficacious · effectual
fecklessresponsible
Obligated to answer for actions
dependable · reliable · accountable · trustworthy · conscientious
fecklesspurposeful
Done with intention
driven · determined · resolute · strong · strong-willed