UN-FERTILE Synonyms: 55 Similar and Opposite Words

unfertile

adjective

ˌən-ˈfər-tᵊl

Definition of unfertile

as in barren

producing inferior or only a small amount of vegetation struggling to make a living with the region's unfertile fields

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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 unfertile 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for unfertile

Adjective

Away from the shore, the tundra is barren, a broad expanse of moss, lichen, and exposed rock.

— Joshua Yaffa, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2026
After five years in development at Retro Studios, the original makers of the Metroid Prime series, fans were greeted with annoying side characters, a bike for Samus to roam the barren landscape on, and a deeply unsatisfying ending.

— Daryl Baxter, Space.com, 1 Nov. 2026

Definition of barren

Adjective

From desolate deserts to cut-off civilisations, wild and remote destinations are emerging as the places travellers will be talking about most in 2027.

— Luke Abrahams, Vogue, 27 Oct. 2026
The road that leads to the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women is long and desolate.

— Anja Aronowsky Cronberg, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of desolate

Adjective

The United Nations says more than 1,600 people have been killed and more than 300,000 displaced since fighting resumed in the impoverished country.

— Frank Andrews, CBS News, 6 Nov. 2026
The white South African group governed the nation for decades under a brutal system of segregation known as apartheid, which kept the Black majority an impoverished underclass until the system was dismantled in 1994.

— Sharon Lerner, ProPublica, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of impoverished

Adjective

Nearby residents have argued that the large apartment complex will be a poor fit for their neighborhood, citing concerns about traffic congestion and fire department access, among other things.

— Barbara Henry, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Nov. 2026
The Lions’ high-flying offense is at its best on turf, not nearly as fast on grass, and their poor red zone defense has been an issue.

— Hank Gola, New York Daily News, 7 Nov. 2026

Definition of poor

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unfeminine

unfertile

unfetter

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“Unfertile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unfertile. Accessed 10 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of unfertile

adjective

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