as in unsuccessful
not producing the desired result
harsh disciplinary measures that prove to be counterproductive
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Recent Examples of counterproductive
Beyond that, such dramatic moves could be counterproductive.
—
Jeff Cox, CNBC, 23 June 2025
Targeting the employers themselves, some of whom Trump relies on for support, would be counterproductive to his agenda, Reisz said.
—Caroline Petrow-Cohen, Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2025
Still, Marles suggested the Trump administration's aggressive trade policies were counterproductive.
—Tara Copp, Arkansas Online, 30 May 2025
Moreover, relying on tariffs as a primary tool for environmental protection is a crude and ultimately counterproductive strategy, especially considering the potential to hinder the transition to clean energy.
—Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for counterproductive
Jeff Cox, CNBC, 23 June 2025
Targeting the employers themselves, some of whom Trump relies on for support, would be counterproductive to his agenda, Reisz said.
—Caroline Petrow-Cohen, Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2025
Still, Marles suggested the Trump administration's aggressive trade policies were counterproductive.
—Tara Copp, Arkansas Online, 30 May 2025
Moreover, relying on tariffs as a primary tool for environmental protection is a crude and ultimately counterproductive strategy, especially considering the potential to hinder the transition to clean energy.
—Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for counterproductive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for counterproductive
Adjective
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First responders also attempted to revive Riccardo, but were unsuccessful, the outlet added.—
Toria Sheffield,
People.com,
12 July 2025
-
All attempts to resuscitate the man were unsuccessful, Park Service officials said.—
Julia Gomez,
USA Today,
11 July 2025
Adjective
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More than inefficient, manual finance operations introduce unnecessary risk.—
John Rubinetti,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
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This is not hyperbole: burning oil to power a car or burning coal to produce electricity is at best slightly more than thirty per cent efficient—or seventy per cent inefficient.—
Bill McKibben,
New Yorker,
9 July 2025
Adjective
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Clark was largely ineffective, recording 10 points, six assists, five rebounds and four turnovers.—
Garrett Chorpenning,
New York Times,
11 July 2025
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Disagreement exists on whether excess SEEK funds were misused and if KDE's diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts were ineffective.—
Krista Johnson,
The Courier-Journal,
10 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Counterproductive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/counterproductive. Accessed 20 Jul. 2025.
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