infertile

adjective

(ˈ)in-ˈfər-tᵊl How to pronounce infertile (audio)
Definition of infertilenext
1
as in sterile
not able to produce fruit or offspring an infertile cow is of limited use to a farmer

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in barren
producing inferior or only a small amount of vegetation only parched, infertile fields remained after months of drought

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of infertile In the year 2027 (which is somehow just one year from now, please stop, passage of time), Children of Men imagines a world where women have been infertile for years, dooming humanity to a slow extinction. — Grace Dean, Space.com, 2 May 2026 Before Lydia can go full Karen, revolutionaries raid the school and cart off the women to a stadium, where the unmarried and infertile are held prisoner in the bleachers. — Judy Berman, Time, 29 Apr. 2026 Quinoa grows even in lean, infertile soil and usually doesn't need additional fertilizer in most areas. — Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Apr. 2026 The American Society for Reproductive Medicine has stated that ovarian reserve markers shouldn’t serve as a fertility test for women who aren’t infertile or whose fertility hasn’t been evaluated. — Allison Palmer, Sacbee.com, 6 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for infertile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for infertile
  1. sterile
  2. barren
  3. desolate
  4. impoverished
  5. poor
  6. unfertile
Adjective
  • Since female screwworm flies mate only once during their roughly month-long lifespan, those that breed with sterile males produce no viable offspring, causing the population to gradually die out.
    — Shiv Sudhakar, FOXNews.com, 14 July 2026
  • While there are now sterile varieties, these reportedly can revert and produce fruit.
    — Erica Browne Grivas, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 July 2026
Definition of sterile
Adjective
  • The Eye network served as lead broadcaster for the VMAs this year — stripping an already barren MTV of its flagship event.
    — Michael Schneider, Variety, 10 July 2026
  • Wild Orchard Farmstead on Jeju Island exemplifies regenerative organic agriculture, transforming barren land over 25 years into a thriving tea ecosystem.
    — Andrew Watman, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026
Definition of barren
Adjective
  • However desolate Mars may appear from afar, there is certainly no shortage of activity on its surface — or discoveries still waiting to be made.
    — Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 17 July 2026
  • Despite the property damage, the New Jersey meteorite fragments are a rare reminder that asteroids aren’t always desolate, inert rocks.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 15 July 2026
Definition of desolate
Adjective
  • This British drama series follows a woman named Emma over the course of more than six decades of her life, from the 1900s through the 1970s, working her way from impoverished maid to the world’s richest woman.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 12 July 2026
  • Younger people are more likely to embrace socialism than older voters raised during the Cold War, for whom socialism may conjure images of an impoverished, freedom-less society like the former Communist bloc in Eastern Europe.
    — Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 11 July 2026
Definition of impoverished
Adjective
  • Prolonged exposure to heat can lead to insufficient or poor sleep, compromising the immune system, increasing the risk for cardiovascular disease and diminishing cognitive performance.
    — Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 13 July 2026
  • On top of this, subterranean drip systems often clog with mineral deposits, sediment, and algae, which Nad warns may eventually require repairs or replacement of portions of the system, particularly in areas with hard water or poor filtration.
    — Kamron Sanders, The Spruce, 13 July 2026
Definition of poor
Adjective
  • Movies based on videogames, once unfertile IP for Hollywood at the box office, have blossomed in recent years.
    — Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 9 June 2025
Definition of unfertile

Browse Nearby Words

infers
infertile
infertility
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Infertile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/infertile. Accessed 19 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on infertile

Nglish: Translation of infertile for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 17
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
child-detective
Spot the Misspelled Word July 2026 Those little red underlines can't help you now...
See All