as in unsuccessful
not producing the desired result
harsh disciplinary measures that prove to be counterproductive
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Recent Examples of counterproductive
Trump’s threats to attack Iran are counterproductive You’re all caught up.
—
Ellen Mitchell, The Hill, 8 Apr. 2025
Cleaner air is always appealing, but rushing into sweeping regulatory shifts that will have little long-term effect would be counterproductive.
—Ryan Nawrocki, Baltimore Sun, 13 Apr. 2025
When Musk is in a bad mood, well, an interview is usually counterproductive.
—ArsTechnica, 11 Apr. 2025
Autism advocacy groups worry that Kennedy’s study may prove counterproductive.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 10 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for counterproductive
Ellen Mitchell, The Hill, 8 Apr. 2025
Cleaner air is always appealing, but rushing into sweeping regulatory shifts that will have little long-term effect would be counterproductive.
—Ryan Nawrocki, Baltimore Sun, 13 Apr. 2025
When Musk is in a bad mood, well, an interview is usually counterproductive.
—ArsTechnica, 11 Apr. 2025
Autism advocacy groups worry that Kennedy’s study may prove counterproductive.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 10 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for counterproductive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for counterproductive
Adjective
-
But the Supreme Court denied the court order and requests to President Donald Trump from family, supporters and her attorney were unsuccessful.—
Nicole Acosta,
People.com,
19 Apr. 2025
-
The officer attempted to put out the flames with his fire extinguisher but was unsuccessful.—
PJ Green,
Kansas City Star,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Hardware orders in late March reached new records, indicating operators are swapping out inefficient rigs rather than capitulating.—
Dave Birnbaum,
Forbes.com,
21 Apr. 2025
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More importantly, Brunson is coming off a 34-point night in Game 1 despite a rare inefficient shooting night.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The intraparty wrangling has also hit the Democratic National Committee, where leaders are pressuring Hogg to drop a push to primary some Democratic incumbents deemed ineffective and aging.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
28 Apr. 2025
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The Crown’s offensive diversity — featuring 10 different goal scorers this season — proved ineffective against New England’s tactical discipline.—
Colin Cerniglia,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Counterproductive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/counterproductive. Accessed 3 May. 2025.
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