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 series follows a group of ineffective Canadian superheroes who become the world’s last hope after all other heroes are killed off.
—
Max Goldbart, Deadline, 1 May 2025
Incredibly, Atlassian found workers lose 25 billion hours per year because of ineffective teamwork or poor collaboration.
—Tracy Brower, Forbes.com, 27 Apr. 2025
The intraparty wrangling has also hit the Democratic National Committee, where leaders are pressuring Hogg to drop a push to primary some Democratic incumbents deemed ineffective and aging.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 28 Apr. 2025
The Crown’s offensive diversity — featuring 10 different goal scorers this season — proved ineffective against New England’s tactical discipline.
—Colin Cerniglia, Charlotte Observer, 27 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ineffective
Max Goldbart, Deadline, 1 May 2025
Incredibly, Atlassian found workers lose 25 billion hours per year because of ineffective teamwork or poor collaboration.
—Tracy Brower, Forbes.com, 27 Apr. 2025
The intraparty wrangling has also hit the Democratic National Committee, where leaders are pressuring Hogg to drop a push to primary some Democratic incumbents deemed ineffective and aging.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 28 Apr. 2025
The Crown’s offensive diversity — featuring 10 different goal scorers this season — proved ineffective against New England’s tactical discipline.
—Colin Cerniglia, Charlotte Observer, 27 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ineffective
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ineffective
Adjective
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Each unsuccessful vote will be burned in a furnace with chemicals to dye the plume a black color.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
2 May 2025
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During his unsuccessful 2022 congressional bid, Kent consulted with Nick Fuentes, the young white supremacist, and hired a campaign adviser who was a member of the Proud Boys, a violent far-right group.—
Ali Breland,
The Atlantic,
1 May 2025
Adjective
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These results, though significant, don’t necessarily mean that efforts to effectively mitigate deepfakes are futile.—
Mack DeGeurin,
Popular Science,
30 Apr. 2025
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The similarly futile attempts to portray John Walker as a flawed but good man, despite his callous rage and murderous tendencies?—
Nola Pfau,
Vulture,
17 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The inefficient conversion method provides further evidence that this was indeed a theft rather than a legitimate holder diversifying their portfolio.—
Boaz Sobrado,
Forbes.com,
30 Apr. 2025
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Using one that’s old and worn out will be inefficient at best and give you a rash or razor burn at worst.—
Megan Gustashaw,
Glamour,
29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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In one sense, Henry is the kind of useless man who creates hard times with his own passivity.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
30 Apr. 2025
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Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin Like many a controversial Y2K trend, the useless hip belt has made its way back into the sartorial zeitgeist with trendsetters like Emily Ratajkowski and Dua Lipa reviving the aesthetic in recent seasons.—
Emily Tannenbaum,
Glamour,
24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Both Lyman and Nordhaus say shrinking the NRC would be counterproductive.—
Geoff Brumfiel,
NPR,
9 May 2025
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But not entirely on how or who’s in charge Harvard’s public refusal of Trump’s demands, Ackman asserted this week, was a counterproductive move that led to an unnecessary legal fight, as the university soon sued the government to restore its funding.—
Andy Rose,
CNN Money,
6 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ineffective.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ineffective. Accessed 17 May. 2025.
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