unsustainable

adjective

un·​sus·​tain·​able ˌən-sə-ˈstā-nə-bəl How to pronounce unsustainable (audio)
: not capable of being prolonged or continued : not sustainable
unsustainable agricultural practices
unsustainable growth
unsustainability noun
unsustainably adverb
an unsustainably high rate of growth

Examples of unsustainable in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The center went through $6 million approved by the county Board of Supervisors faster than anticipated, and officials said ongoing county funding would be unsustainable. Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Mar. 2024 These traders can generate steady profits over the long term—instead of pursuing unsustainable, high-risk strategies. Blake Olson, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 For years, American diplomats had warned that this status quo was unsustainable and that another Palestinian uprising would soon emerge. Martin Indyk, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024 Given China's already huge market shares in many industries, that could boost capacity to unsustainable levels and crowd foreign manufacturers out of many industries, some economists say. Elaine Kurtenbach, Quartz, 7 Feb. 2024 The governor wants to ignore declining student enrollment in public schools and unsustainable education spending projected to cause future state budget deficits. Christian Barnard, Orange County Register, 6 Feb. 2024 This bias can lead to the formation of bubbles, as investors collectively flock to specific assets, driving prices to unsustainable levels, only to suffer when the bubble bursts. Dan Irvine, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 After the pandemic, though, the business became unsustainable, with rising costs, inconsistent attendance and a staffing shortage. Claire Cain Miller, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2024 Currently, our asylum laws don’t prioritize people with legitimate asylum needs and are being exploited, causing millions to cross illegally in unprecedented and unsustainable numbers. Destiny Torres, Orange County Register, 25 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'unsustainable.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1677, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unsustainable was circa 1677

Dictionary Entries Near unsustainable

Cite this Entry

“Unsustainable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unsustainable. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

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