counterproductive
adjective
coun·ter·pro·duc·tive
ˌkau̇n-tər-prə-ˈdək-tiv 
: tending to hinder the attainment of a desired goal
… violence as a means to achieve an end is counterproductive.—
W. E. Brock III
W. E. Brock IIIExamples of counterproductive in a Sentence
His uncontrollable anger is very counterproductive to his attempt at saving his marriage.
harsh disciplinary measures that prove to be counterproductive
Recent Examples on the Web
Western dominance over cross-border media flows and the increasing concentration of ownership of national and international media by a limited number of Western conglomerates were identified as counterproductive to such ideals.
—Stijn Joye, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Apr. 2026
The departure of Matt Roy was hedged somewhat by the signing of Joel Edmundson two summers ago, but replacing Vladislav Gavrikov and Jordan Spence with Brian Dumoulin and Cody Ceci while Drew Doughty, 36 and in his 18th season, grays and frays has proven highly counterproductive.
—Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 18 Apr. 2026
These are all inexcusable and counterproductive acts of violence.
—Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2026
When both Chicago and Illinois have significantly lagged the nation as a whole in terms of economic growth, there are few tax ideas more counterproductive than penalizing big companies for employing people within a city’s boundaries.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 7 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for counterproductive
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Stijn Joye, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Apr. 2026
The departure of Matt Roy was hedged somewhat by the signing of Joel Edmundson two summers ago, but replacing Vladislav Gavrikov and Jordan Spence with Brian Dumoulin and Cody Ceci while Drew Doughty, 36 and in his 18th season, grays and frays has proven highly counterproductive.
—Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 18 Apr. 2026
These are all inexcusable and counterproductive acts of violence.
—Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2026
When both Chicago and Illinois have significantly lagged the nation as a whole in terms of economic growth, there are few tax ideas more counterproductive than penalizing big companies for employing people within a city’s boundaries.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 7 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for counterproductive
Cite this Entry
“Counterproductive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/counterproductive. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
