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Effective vs efficient

AnastasiaS

New Member
Russian
When should I use a word 'effective' and where 'efficient'? Is there really big difference in meaning of these words? Are they interchangeable or not?
They’re different words with different meanings.

A person can be described as efficient, meaning that they work in a well-organised way and get things done smoothly, without problems. A process can also be described as efficient when it’s carried out in such a way and so works optimally.

Something is effective if it works (has the desired effect), if it successfully performs the function it’s designed for.
Post #2 explains the meanings.

If something is not effective, it fails. Whatever it was intended to do -- that did not get done.

If something is not efficient (it is inefficient), it succeeds. It could be done faster, or cheaper: more efficiently. But it was done.
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