as in sterile
not able to produce fruit or offspring
disappointed to discover that the mare was unfruitful
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Recent Examples of unfruitful
Once home to more than 1,100 residents and boasting its own postal service, according to Visit Keweenaw, the unfruitful mine then saw the community dwindle, only a few historic homes now remaining.
—
Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 31 Oct. 2025
That’s one investment that has proved rather unfruitful so far, although things appear to be looking up for WBD investors currently with company on the auction block and simultaneously preparing to separate its cable operations and studios/streaming into to companies.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 29 Oct. 2025
Homosexual life, by contrast, is one of unfruitful stasis and sterile repetition.
—Garth Greenwell, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
Trump too has aired frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin in recent weeks as ceasefire talks have been unfruitful.
—The Hill Staff, The Hill, 5 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for unfruitful
Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 31 Oct. 2025
That’s one investment that has proved rather unfruitful so far, although things appear to be looking up for WBD investors currently with company on the auction block and simultaneously preparing to separate its cable operations and studios/streaming into to companies.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 29 Oct. 2025
Homosexual life, by contrast, is one of unfruitful stasis and sterile repetition.
—Garth Greenwell, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
Trump too has aired frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin in recent weeks as ceasefire talks have been unfruitful.
—The Hill Staff, The Hill, 5 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for unfruitful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unfruitful
Adjective
-
Plants can seed readily, so look for sterile varieties such as 'Select Blue', 'Walker’s Low', or 'Cat’s Meow' that won’t become weedy in the garden.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
7 Mar. 2026
-
Mulch To maintain healthy strawberries, Montgomery places a sterile straw around the plants and then applies an additional layer of mulch on top.—
Lauren Wellbank,
Martha Stewart,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Subjecting them to extreme conditions–from the 14,000-foot ascent of Pikes Peak to the barren deserts of the Rebelle Rally.—
Joel Feder,
The Drive,
27 Feb. 2026
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These include wintergreen, golden star (Chrysogonum virginianum), and barren strawberry.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
26 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Giddey gathered the ball and inbounded it to make another fruitless attempt to chip away at a double-digit deficit.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Mar. 2026
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But those efforts so far have been fruitless.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
7 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unfruitful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unfruitful. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.
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