as in unsuccessful
not producing the desired result
harsh disciplinary measures that prove to be counterproductive
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Recent Examples of counterproductive
Most smug articles and books that claim to provide quick fixes come off as tone-deaf or even counterproductive.
—
Anna Holmes, The Atlantic, 27 May 2026
As a result, the most important clay-court of all chucking players back into their old way of seeing and understanding the contours of a tennis match is hugely counterproductive.
—Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 23 May 2026
That assumption is both outdated and counterproductive.
—Adam Goodcoff, STAT, 13 May 2026
However foolhardy, counterproductive and costly, cities have a right to challenge state laws.
—The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for counterproductive
Anna Holmes, The Atlantic, 27 May 2026
As a result, the most important clay-court of all chucking players back into their old way of seeing and understanding the contours of a tennis match is hugely counterproductive.
—Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 23 May 2026
That assumption is both outdated and counterproductive.
—Adam Goodcoff, STAT, 13 May 2026
However foolhardy, counterproductive and costly, cities have a right to challenge state laws.
—The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for counterproductive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for counterproductive
Adjective
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Japanese police trudged through deep mud on Thursday in another unsuccessful day searching for a missing Auburn University student, who vanished after an argument with family over artificial intelligence.—
David K. Li,
NBC news,
4 June 2026
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Efforts to reach Bronstein for comment on Stone’s claims were unsuccessful Thursday.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
4 June 2026
Adjective
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At the Fortune Global Forum in 2023, entrepreneur Parag Khanna argued that the current ratio — roughly 95% of climate effort going to mitigation and only 5% to adaptation — is not just inefficient but ethically troubling.—
Anjali Chaudhry,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
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Those accomplishments help explain why many analysts view her turnovers as a byproduct of her extraordinary workload rather than evidence of inefficient play.—
Jon Root OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
30 May 2026
Adjective
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That review has been a mainstay of America's health system, with the FDA acting as a gatekeeper to protect the public from unsafe or ineffective drugs.—
Daniel Gilbert,
CBS News,
8 June 2026
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Unions can either be effective or ineffective, and that depends entirely on their members.—
John Vukmirovich,
Chicago Tribune,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Counterproductive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/counterproductive. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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