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
Trump responded sharply the following day, criticizing the pope's leadership and accusing him of being weak on crime and ineffective on foreign policy.
—
Emmanuel Akinwotu, NPR, 13 Apr. 2026
Other management methods, such as traps, have so far been ineffective.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 10 Apr. 2026
But scores of frustrated residents denounced the policy during a three-hour council meeting as weak and ineffective.
—Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 10 Apr. 2026
Otherwise, aeration may be ineffective.
—Lee Wallender, The Spruce, 10 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ineffective
Emmanuel Akinwotu, NPR, 13 Apr. 2026
Other management methods, such as traps, have so far been ineffective.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 10 Apr. 2026
But scores of frustrated residents denounced the policy during a three-hour council meeting as weak and ineffective.
—Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 10 Apr. 2026
Otherwise, aeration may be ineffective.
—Lee Wallender, The Spruce, 10 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ineffective
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ineffective
Adjective
-
Efforts by Knight's attorneys to appeal the case have so far been unsuccessful.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Harry launched an unsuccessful bid for City Council in 2010.—
Ishani Desai,
Sacbee.com,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
That doesn’t mean future rounds, perhaps already starting this week, are futile.—
Andreas Kluth,
Mercury News,
18 Apr. 2026
-
The houses of worship bill, which Speaker Julie Menin strongly advocated for, passed with a veto-proof majority, so pursuing a veto would likely be futile.—
Josephine Stratman,
New York Daily News,
17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Aaron Gordon was predictably formidable as the primary matchup on Julius Randle, who never established a groove while scoring an inefficient 16 points.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
19 Apr. 2026
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LeBron James had 19 points and 13 assists, and Ayton had 19 points and 11 rebounds while helping keep two-time All-Star Alperen Sengun to 19 points on inefficient six-for-19 shooting.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Social services are borderline useless.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
17 Apr. 2026
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Still, old soil isn’t exactly useless.—
Jessica Safavimehr,
Southern Living,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The departure of Matt Roy was hedged somewhat by the signing of Joel Edmundson two summers ago, but replacing Vladislav Gavrikov and Jordan Spence with Brian Dumoulin and Cody Ceci while Drew Doughty, 36 and in his 18th season, grays and frays has proven highly counterproductive.—
Andrew Knoll,
Daily News,
18 Apr. 2026
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These are all inexcusable and counterproductive acts of violence.—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ineffective.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ineffective. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
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