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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ineffective
By integrating these innovations, the team aims to develop compact, affordable, and energy-efficient drones that can operate in environments where traditional vision systems are ineffective.
—
Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 2 Nov. 2025
Most importantly, the vaccines that contain aluminum would be rendered ineffective.
—NPR, 31 Oct. 2025
Welcome’s report sees that remedy as ineffective, and the collapse in split-ticket voting in recent elections suggests the group may be right.
—David Weigel, semafor.com, 27 Oct. 2025
The ground game was completely ineffective in wins over the Bills and Saints in Weeks 5 and 6.
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 26 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ineffective
Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 2 Nov. 2025
Most importantly, the vaccines that contain aluminum would be rendered ineffective.
—NPR, 31 Oct. 2025
Welcome’s report sees that remedy as ineffective, and the collapse in split-ticket voting in recent elections suggests the group may be right.
—David Weigel, semafor.com, 27 Oct. 2025
The ground game was completely ineffective in wins over the Bills and Saints in Weeks 5 and 6.
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 26 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ineffective
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ineffective
Adjective
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But her appeal was unsuccessful.—
Ralphie Aversa,
USA Today,
9 Nov. 2025
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Industry lobbying unsuccessful to date Some advocates for the restaurant industry have been lobbying to change the way service fees are treated.—
Cheryl Winokur Munk,
CNBC,
8 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Police struggle to maintain order, their wooden sticks cracking against the pavement in a futile attempt to control the sheer mass of people.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
9 Nov. 2025
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Trying to win new, younger shoppers is expensive and may end up being futile.—
Phil Wahba,
Fortune,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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For years, the Heat’s offense was among the slowest and most inefficient units in the NBA.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
2 Nov. 2025
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In an interview, Hirschhorn said export controls alone were an inefficient way to defend human rights.—
Byron Tau,
Fortune,
29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Pattinson plays the character’s increasingly useless husband.—
Zack Sharf,
Variety,
5 Nov. 2025
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My French was useless—I was also considered a tourist by association.—
Lane Nieset,
Travel + Leisure,
2 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Even Bill Gates, a onetime stalwart champion of climate action, said this week that near-term emissions targets are a distraction at best and could even be counterproductive for human welfare.—
Tim McDonnell,
semafor.com,
30 Oct. 2025
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What resulted is one of the most comic, counterproductive, and clumsy episodes in the long history of British efforts to deal with Ireland.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
29 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ineffective.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ineffective. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.
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