ineffective

adjective

ˌi-nə-ˈfek-tiv How to pronounce ineffective (audio)
Definition of ineffectivenext
1
as in unsuccessful
not producing the desired result an ineffective effort to reduce unemployment that only spurred inflation

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in futile
producing no results an ineffective medication that will be denied FDA approval

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of ineffective Moore is the weakest, most ineffective governor Maryland has ever had, and residents are paying the price. — Torrey Snow, Baltimore Sun, 18 July 2026 England/Bayern Munich (-1) Kane has clearly faded physically in the knockout rounds and was largely ineffective against Argentina. — Liam Twomey, New York Times, 16 July 2026 President Emmanuel Macron is limping to the end of his administration as an unpopular and more and more ineffective-looking figure. — Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 9 July 2026 It was tested during the 2018 Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, but proved relatively ineffective against the Zaire species. — Jonathan Lambert, NPR, 7 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for ineffective
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ineffective
  1. unsuccessful
  2. futile
  3. inefficient
  4. useless
  5. counterproductive
Adjective
  • The attack was unsuccessful, as Gwayne jumped to his nephew’s rescue in time, which only resulted in a couple of deaths and Ormund projectile vomiting at the smell.
    — Jennifer Maas, Variety, 27 July 2026
  • Seattle Fire Department spokesperson Grace Nuñez said that its first responders attempted lifesaving efforts for two patients but were unsuccessful.
    — Kayla Hayempour, NBC news, 26 July 2026
Definition of unsuccessful
Adjective
  • However, year after year, predicting Preller’s midsummer machinations has proved a largely futile endeavor.
    — Dennis Lin, New York Times, 30 July 2026
  • Now an Oda envoy and renowned strategist named Kanbei Kuroda (Masaki Suda) has come to Murashige’s fortress to convince him that resistance is futile.
    — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 30 July 2026
Definition of futile
Adjective
  • Customer acquisition costs have surged by 60%, yet many brands mistakenly pour more budget into inefficient strategies.
    — Sonia Thompson, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
  • Earlier research had shown that unclonable encryption was possible, but existing approaches were either inefficient or needed certain assumptions to be secure.
    — Peter Hall, Scientific American, 31 July 2026
Definition of inefficient
Adjective
  • But from how the thudding steps gained on me, my efforts were useless.
    — Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 31 July 2026
  • The wrong answer, no matter how inexpensive or how fast it has been delivered, is useless.
    — Bruce Kelley, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Definition of useless
Adjective
  • What this framework dismantles is a common and counterproductive myth—that friendships either spark instantly or are not worth pursuing.
    — Wes Moss, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
  • Johnson continued this week to push for his foolish and counterproductive desire to impose a $33-per-month tax on each Chicago job generated by the city’s largest private-sector employers.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 10 July 2026
Definition of counterproductive

Browse Nearby Words

ineffaceable
ineffective
ineffectively
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Cite this Entry

“Ineffective.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ineffective. Accessed 2 Aug. 2026.

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