ineffective

adjective

in·​ef·​fec·​tive ˌi-nə-ˈfek-tiv 

1

: not producing an intended effect : ineffectual

ineffective lighting

an ineffective treatment

2

: not capable of performing efficiently or as expected : incapable

an ineffective executive

ineffectively adverb

ineffectiveness noun

Synonyms of ineffective

• unsuccessful
• inefficient
• counterproductive

Examples of ineffective in a Sentence

The treatment was ineffective against the disease.

an ineffective effort to reduce unemployment that only spurred inflation

Recent Examples on the Web

Harrell says that idea is ineffective because a city capital gains tax could easily be avoided by those who would be required to pay it. —Preston Fore, Fortune, 14 Nov. 2025

This scandal has been swirling around the President since his first term, and the White House’s most recent attempts at damage control have so far been ineffective. —Ian Crouch, New Yorker, 14 Nov. 2025

Carol Saffran started taking Ozempic a year ago to regulate her blood sugar after other medications were ineffective. —Asuka Koda, CNN Money, 14 Nov. 2025

The rails are completely ineffective. —Nicole Russell, USA Today, 13 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1649, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for ineffective

• intellective
• introspective
• irrespective
• nondirective
• nonselective
• retrospective
• unreflective
• advective
• affective
• collective
• connective
• convective

Kids Definition

ineffective

adjective

in·​ef·​fec·​tive ˌin-ə-ˈfek-tiv 

1

: not producing the desired effect

an ineffective law

2

: not performing as well as expected or needed

an ineffective leader

ineffectively adverb

ineffectiveness noun