1
as in barren
producing inferior or only a small amount of vegetation
crop rotation had prevented the farmland from becoming unproductive
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in unsuccessful
producing no results
her attempts to write a novel have been unproductive
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unproductive
Instead, tax dollars are being siphoned off to fund unproductive and unnecessary programs that benefit radical interest groups while hurting hardworking American citizens.
—
Savannah Kuchar, USA TODAY, 1 Mar. 2025
So eventually, unspoken frustrations (socks on the floor, too many nights out, a pattern of flakiness) build into resentment, which can leak out in the form of unproductive, passive-aggressive comments or more explosive, potentially hurtful blowups.
—Jenna Ryu, SELF, 24 Jan. 2025
This is one of the main reasons so many difficult conversations derail into unproductive exercises in uncomfortable time-wasting.
—Jason Walker Psyd, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2025
President Trump says decades of unproductive U.S. diplomacy in the Middle East have failed to deliver peace and prosperity.
—Howard Lafranchi, The Christian Science Monitor, 5 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unproductive
Savannah Kuchar, USA TODAY, 1 Mar. 2025
So eventually, unspoken frustrations (socks on the floor, too many nights out, a pattern of flakiness) build into resentment, which can leak out in the form of unproductive, passive-aggressive comments or more explosive, potentially hurtful blowups.
—Jenna Ryu, SELF, 24 Jan. 2025
This is one of the main reasons so many difficult conversations derail into unproductive exercises in uncomfortable time-wasting.
—Jason Walker Psyd, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2025
President Trump says decades of unproductive U.S. diplomacy in the Middle East have failed to deliver peace and prosperity.
—Howard Lafranchi, The Christian Science Monitor, 5 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unproductive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unproductive
Adjective
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Charlie Parker’s Favorite Painting (1946) indicates Abercrombie’s engagement with social issues: a yellow noose, nearly fluorescent against a dishwater sky, dangles from a barren tree—an oblique lament from the doggedly antiracist Abercrombie.—
Jeremy Lybarger,
ARTnews.com,
26 Mar. 2025
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Mass Effect's core loop doesn't benefit from huge barren landscapes that are devoid of detail.—
Fran Ruiz,
Space.com,
25 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Last year, Harry’s legal action against the Home Office was unsuccessful and the court initially refused him permission to appeal.—
Christian Edwards,
CNN Money,
8 Apr. 2025
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June became hopeful that the American rescue mission would lead to a reunion with her daughter, but that was unsuccessful.—
Abigail Lee,
Variety,
8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Fourteen years of war have left the country desolate, and its people exhausted; millions have been displaced or were forced to become refugees.—
Raghed Waked & Justin Salhani,
The Dial,
25 Mar. 2025
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That quality is maintained first and foremost by a desolate whistling-wind sound effect in the background of all the scenes, along with a sustained droning musical score.—
Ben Coxworth,
New Atlas,
14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Impeachment of judges, however, is widely seen as a futile endeavor on Capitol Hill.—
Tara Suter,
The Hill,
3 Apr. 2025
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The confrontation ends in an electric if futile horse chase.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
23 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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These navigators link impoverished Floridians with the network of religious and community organizations that support them and teach them how to take of themselves, according to Hope Florida’s supporters.—
Jeffrey Schweers,
The Orlando Sentinel,
4 Apr. 2025
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On the idyllic shores of the once popular tourist hot spot Inle Lake, in southern Shan state, the earthquake destroyed hundreds of bamboo houses on stilts occupied by impoverished villagers, according to aid workers.—
Ross Adkin,
CNN Money,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
For most of us, our inbox goals are the same: minimize useless spam, file away messages that don’t require your attention right away, and bring urgent items to the forefront.—
Aytekin Tank,
Forbes.com,
8 Apr. 2025
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His devastating splitter would be useless without first establishing everything else in the strike zone.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
6 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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In fact, the massive, albeit picturesque, gullies were made because of poor farming practices during the 1800s.—
Nicole Letts,
Southern Living,
21 Mar. 2025
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The Heat continues to rotate through different starting groups because of injuries and poor play, using six different starting lineups in the last six games and 11 different starting lineups in the last 13 games.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
22 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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This anti-waste brand upcycles materials, and was founded by Kisa Sky Shiga.—
Nadja Sayej,
Forbes,
20 Dec. 2022
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Fanning out like urban guerrillas through Paris’ darkened streets well after midnight, the anti-waste activists shinny up walls and drain pipes, reaching for switches to turn off the lights. Click.—
The Christian Science Monitor,
The Christian Science Monitor,
3 Aug. 2022
Cite this Entry
“Unproductive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unproductive. Accessed 17 Apr. 2025.
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