unproductive

adjective

un·​pro·​duc·​tive ˌən-prə-ˈdək-tiv 

-prō-

: not effective in bringing something about : not yielding results, benefits, or profits : not productive

unproductive meetings

unproductive strategies

unproductive workers

Synonyms of unproductive

• barren
• desolate
• impoverished
• poor
• waste
• bleak

Examples of unproductive in a Sentence

crop rotation had prevented the farmland from becoming unproductive

her attempts to write a novel have been unproductive

Recent Examples on the Web

Blueberries Blueberry plants become weak and unproductive if they’re not pruned from time to time in winter. —Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Feb. 2026

Morgan has a strong track record of getting draft picks for unproductive and/or unhappy receivers, so that possibility can’t be dismissed. —Joseph Person, New York Times, 26 Jan. 2026

That shift was positive for tribal leaders, who had unproductive relationships with the state after Noem was banned from tribal lands, Lengkeek said. —Molly Wetsch, South Dakota News Watch, 17 Jan. 2026

The human brain is highly susceptible to often unproductive mind-wandering, and modern technology has only made the problem worse. —Harvard Business Review, 7 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1676, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for unproductive

• deconstructive
• nondestructive
• nonproductive
• reconstructive
• reproductive
• abductive
• conductive
• constructive
• deductive
• destructive
• inductive
• instructive