unproductive
adjective
, -prō-\
Definition of unproductive
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Synonyms & Antonyms for unproductive
Synonyms
barren, bony (also boney), dead, desolate, hardscrabble, impoverished, infertile, poor, stark, unfertile, waste
Antonyms
fertile, fruitful, lush, luxuriant, productive, rich
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Examples of unproductive in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Much of China’s economic growth in recent decades has come from moving hundreds of millions of relatively unproductive farm workers into cities. — Edward Chancellor, WSJ, "‘Red Flags’ Review: Trade War and Other Troubles," 9 Dec. 2018 Musk also talked about unproductive contract workers on an earnings call with analysts last Wednesday. — Russ Mitchell, latimes.com, "Musk urges 'barnacle' purge of Tesla contractors at struggling factory," 7 May 2018 Those who just retired might feel a bit unproductive. — Sharon Jayson, USA TODAY, "Relevant at 64? Seniors need to stay active to be healthy and avert loneliness," 10 May 2018 Perhaps the unproductive acquisitions of last offseason could yield something for the future? — Ryan Divish, The Seattle Times, "Analysis: What does Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto mean about a ‘step back’ in 2019?," 21 Nov. 2018 Drastic last-minute moves on both fronts — moves that invoke contradictory themes — are confusing and likely unproductive from a foreign policy standpoint. — Matthew Yglesias, Vox, "The cynical politics of John Bolton’s “Troika of Tyranny”," 1 Nov. 2018 Tight rules would mean fewer companies qualify for benefits and encourage economically unproductive tax avoidance. — Richard Rubin, WSJ, "What’s a Service Business? That’s Now a Multibillion-Dollar Tax Question," 16 Oct. 2018 Still, there were signs of preparations for a long — if unproductive — night. — Vivian Wang, New York Times, "As End of Legislative Session Nears, Ennui Wins the Day," 19 June 2018 Sheep are unproductive and their milk, ideal for cheese making, is a bit fatty for drinking. — Mark Kurlansky, Time, "Why We've Been Fighting About Milk for 10,000 Years," 7 May 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'unproductive.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for unproductive
unproductive
adjective
English Language Learners Definition of unproductive
See the full definition for unproductive in the English Language Learners Dictionary
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