ineffective

adjective

in·ef·fec·tive | \ ˌi-nə-ˈfek-tiv

Definition of ineffective

1 : not producing an intended effect : ineffectual ineffective lighting

2 : not capable of performing efficiently or as expected : incapable an ineffective executive

Other Words from ineffective Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about ineffective

Keep scrolling for more

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

At the end of the day, Mattis proved ineffective or uninterested in preventing shocking abuses of power and flagrant immorality only to throw down over a perfectly legitimate order from the commander in chief. — Matthew Yglesias, Vox, "There never were any “adults in the room”," 21 Dec. 2018 While such treatments are sometimes ineffective, that shortcoming doesn’t impart efficacy on marijuana either. — Peter B. Bach, WSJ, "If Weed Is Medicine, So Is Budweiser," 17 Jan. 2019 Working in pharmaceuticals, Winter had grown frustrated with animal testing, mice were proving ineffective as incubators for creating antibodies that would work in humans. — David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, "The 2018 Nobels in Chemistry Made Evolution Work For Us," 3 Oct. 2018 Old blades are not only ineffective, but more likely to cause bumps and redness and trap bacteria, which can potentially cause infections. — Natalie Gontcharova, Good Housekeeping, "8 Mistakes You're Making When You Shave Your Legs," 13 Aug. 2018 With the help of other women in her community, Sofia puts on plays and dances that bring the devastation of the flood that swept away her home and the ineffective subsequent response to dramatic forms. — Mélissa Godin, Teen Vogue, "Climate Change Is Creating a New Atmosphere of Gender Inequality for Women in Malawi," 20 Dec. 2018 External factors, like access, are not taken into account, and as a result, ineffective recommendations are given. — SELF, "7 Ways Experts and Influencers Can Make Their Nutrition Advice More Inclusive," 16 Oct. 2018 Prescription drugs are carefully evaluated and labeled to reflect the risks of the medications and their potential interactions with other medicines, and vaping active drug ingredients is an ineffective route of delivery and can be dangerous. — Beth Mole, Ars Technica, "E-cig co. put Viagra, Cialis in vape liquids—the FDA is throbbing mad," 12 Oct. 2018 But such moderation efforts were, generously speaking, ineffective. — Shawn Musgrave, The Verge, "How ICE used an obscure rule to pursue the owners of a Korean porn site," 27 Sep. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ineffective.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.