as in unsuccessful
producing no results
an abortive attempt to recover the sunken pirate ship
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Recent Examples of abortive
In the abortive March 2022 draft deals, Russia even expressed a willingness to return to preinvasion lines.
—
Fred Weir, Christian Science Monitor, 30 May 2025
Despite being hurt by a number of abortive early stabs at voice recognition in decades gone by, voice recognition when done well can actually provide a uniquely direct way of accessing content and features on modern TVs.
—John Archer, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025
The military establishment was especially sensitive to criticism at the time – less than a month after the abortive revolt by Wagner mercenary group boss Yevgeny Prigozhin.
—Katharina Krebs, CNN Money, 15 Apr. 2025
Trump hosts Ireland head of government Micheal Martin Although Democrats beat expectations in the midterm elections two years earlier, Biden headed into his abortive reelection bid with low job approval ratings.
—W. James Antle Iii, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for abortive
Fred Weir, Christian Science Monitor, 30 May 2025
Despite being hurt by a number of abortive early stabs at voice recognition in decades gone by, voice recognition when done well can actually provide a uniquely direct way of accessing content and features on modern TVs.
—John Archer, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025
The military establishment was especially sensitive to criticism at the time – less than a month after the abortive revolt by Wagner mercenary group boss Yevgeny Prigozhin.
—Katharina Krebs, CNN Money, 15 Apr. 2025
Trump hosts Ireland head of government Micheal Martin Although Democrats beat expectations in the midterm elections two years earlier, Biden headed into his abortive reelection bid with low job approval ratings.
—W. James Antle Iii, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for abortive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abortive
Adjective
-
The new complaint was filed 20 years after Burrowes first claimed in an unsuccessful civil case that Combs may have put out a hit on Shakur and Knight.—
Gina Barton,
USA Today,
7 Sep. 2025
-
All have been unsuccessful due to his status as a suspect in multiple violent crimes.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
And, perhaps most dangerous still, these dreams of modernity shine an unwanted light on the futile hardship of the family’s status quo.—
Adam Solomons,
IndieWire,
4 Sep. 2025
-
This alternating strategy is futile.—
Wesley Alexander Hill,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Abortive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abortive. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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