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

Without scalable alternatives, or a drastic shift in feed formulation, the industry’s expansion plans appear unsustainable. —Felicia Jackson, Forbes.com, 22 May 2025

Moreover, some industry veterans argue that streaming’s current trajectory is unsustainable. —Jd Barker, Rolling Stone, 20 May 2025

According to a 2024 report from the Government Accountability Office, the agency has 138 information systems for air traffic control, and 51 are unsustainable due to outdated functionality, a lack of spare parts, and other issues. —Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 20 May 2025

The median cost of homes rose sharply coming out of the pandemic, and that rise was unsustainable. —Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 May 2025

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