unsustainable

adjective

un·​sus·​tain·​able ˌən-sə-ˈstā-nə-bəl 

: not capable of being prolonged or continued : not sustainable

unsustainable agricultural practices

unsustainable growth

unsustainability

ˌən-sə-ˌstā-nə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

unsustainably

ˌən-sə-ˈstā-nə-blē 

adverb

an unsustainably high rate of growth

Examples of unsustainable in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But remarkably, even as the last half-decade has made city living comically unsustainable—bodegas are selling Diet Cokes for $4—rents in Tribeca have stayed relatively stable. — Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 11 Sep. 2026

That, at the very least, raises the risk that America’s debt is on an unsustainable path. — David Goldman, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2026

Enrollment is far below what his office once projected, and the administration recently said the program could become financially unsustainable without about more federal money. — Greg Bluestein, AJC.com, 8 Sep. 2026

But Azizi warned that adding economic pressure will not necessarily make Iran more cautious, especially if Tehran sees it as unsustainable. — Jason Ma, Fortune, 5 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1677, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for unsustainable

• attainable
• explainable
• maintainable
• obtainable
• sustainable
• ascertainable
• unattainable
• unexplainable
• unobtainable
• trainable