UNFERTILE 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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 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

These bright spots in an otherwise barren season for curve representation weren’t necessarily novel.

— Joe Bobowicz, Vogue, 19 Oct. 2026
Research into turning Martian dust into material that supports plant growth highlights how much work remains to make barren planetary materials useful for agriculture.

— Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of barren

Adjective

The impoverished Reds work as slave labor in the mines of Mars, while the super-strong Golds rule the solar system and war on each other.

— Jordan Moreau, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
Prosecutors accuse him of participating in schemes to divert hundreds of millions of dollars from Venezuelan government programs intended to provide housing, food and other necessities to the country’s impoverished population.

— Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of impoverished

Adjective

Disease that has spread to those organs is associated with poorer treatment outcomes.

— Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2026
They were frustrated with teacher shortages and poor conditions at schools, including overcrowded classrooms and dilapidated buildings.

— James Cirrone , Brittany Miller, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of poor

Browse Nearby Words

unfeminine

unfertile

unfetter

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Unfertile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unfertile. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of unfertile

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

milieu

Popular in Grammar & Usage

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

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

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

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE

Popular

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

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes