1
as in unsuccessful
not producing the desired result
an ineffective effort to reduce unemployment that only spurred inflation
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2
as in futile
producing no results
an ineffective medication that will be denied FDA approval
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ineffective
Evidence shows that these efforts are both ineffective and harmful to patients, though Chiles’ lawyers argued that the existing body of research doesn’t focus explicitly on forms of the practice that are speech- or conversation-based.
—
Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 3 Apr. 2026
Cortés ordered the ineffective weapons destroyed.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
And major medical groups have repudiated conversion therapy as ineffective and harmful.
—Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026
Once a tantrum is underway, reasoning with a child is often ineffective.
—Claire Dodds, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ineffective
Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 3 Apr. 2026
Cortés ordered the ineffective weapons destroyed.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
And major medical groups have repudiated conversion therapy as ineffective and harmful.
—Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026
Once a tantrum is underway, reasoning with a child is often ineffective.
—Claire Dodds, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ineffective
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ineffective
Adjective
-
Life-saving measures were unsuccessful.—
Forum News Service,
Twin Cities,
9 Apr. 2026
-
During the most recent campaign and in a previous unsuccessful run for mayor, Laesch claimed Irvin prioritized government contracts or incentives to those who donated to his campaign, which Irvin consistently denied.—
R. Christian Smith,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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But past attempts to achieve similar solutions proved futile.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
4 Apr. 2026
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But the question of what is true or not is futile, even if Calle deliberately provokes this curiosity.—
Elisa Wouk Almino
Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Advocates say the system is not only inefficient but inhumane.—
Jim DeFede,
CBS News,
5 Apr. 2026
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Seth Lugo salvages inefficient start Lugo didn’t have his best command Saturday.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Architects and other critics of the project had panned the staircase as too large and basically useless since there was no way to enter the ballroom at the top.—
Darlene Superville,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Apr. 2026
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In practice, this means a madhouse of multimedia rooms, packed with gurgling videos and useless machines and humanoid bodies.—
Zachary Fine,
New Yorker,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The leaks also led to major changes at Meta and in the tech industry, which began to weed out research that could be viewed as counterproductive for the companies.—
Jonathan Vanian,
CNBC,
29 Mar. 2026
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These structured habits—doing the same thing in the same place at the same time of day—were more likely to lead to long-term success than attempting to squelch counterproductive impulses in the moment.—
Francine Russo,
Scientific American,
28 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ineffective.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ineffective. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.
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