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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ineffective
The lethal removal of a bear is ineffective, and people should be trained to properly lock away food, Fleishman said.
—
Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 25 Oct. 2025
While the initial version of the material was ineffective at dispersing radar waves, researchers enhanced its electromagnetic properties using a subtractive laser patterning process.
—Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2025
After an officer fired two more ineffective beanbag rounds, Ly abruptly ran down a nearby alley.
—Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Oct. 2025
On offense, the run game was ineffective for a second consecutive week and quarterback Carson Beck threw a career-high four interceptions.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ineffective
Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 25 Oct. 2025
While the initial version of the material was ineffective at dispersing radar waves, researchers enhanced its electromagnetic properties using a subtractive laser patterning process.
—Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2025
After an officer fired two more ineffective beanbag rounds, Ly abruptly ran down a nearby alley.
—Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Oct. 2025
On offense, the run game was ineffective for a second consecutive week and quarterback Carson Beck threw a career-high four interceptions.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ineffective
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ineffective
Adjective
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Barkan’s was one of several unsuccessful progressive campaigns Mamdani worked on before getting a job as a foreclosure prevention counselor at a nonprofit.—
Ben Adler,
USA Today,
2 Nov. 2025
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There have been a handful of topping bids this year, including an unsuccessful attempt by hedge fund Alden Global to beat out Hearst in its deal for the Dallas Morning News.—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Meanwhile, over on the blanket, Hine and Lemmon begin a rather futile attempt to teach the rest of us backgammon.—
Hannah Jackson,
Vogue,
30 Oct. 2025
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Understanding each other is futile.—
Jake Coyle,
Boston Herald,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Doing so would lead to an unreliable, inefficient energy grid.—
Jordan Blum,
Fortune,
28 Oct. 2025
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Brentford were inefficient with their finishing against West Ham on Monday, converting just one of five in a dominant display.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Sarah has a useless husband and a useless job.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
29 Oct. 2025
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Lavin bought hard copies of the AI knockoffs of her book, and wasn’t surprised to find that each was useless in its own way.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
27 Oct. 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 4 Nov. 2025.
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