1
as in barren
producing inferior or only a small amount of vegetation
crop rotation had prevented the farmland from becoming unproductive
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in unsuccessful
producing no results
her attempts to write a novel have been unproductive
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unproductive
The rookies this season accumulated 0.054 win shares per 48 minutes—the ninth lowest of the past 40 seasons, but still significantly above recent seasons such as 2014, 2015 and 2017, as well as the infamously unproductive 2001 cohort.
—
Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 16 Apr. 2025
Instead, tax dollars are being siphoned off to fund unproductive and unnecessary programs that benefit radical interest groups while hurting hard-working American citizens.
—William Lambers, Newsweek, 9 Mar. 2025
The remainder of the lineup was unproductive with men in scoring position.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 17 Apr. 2025
It’s left employees increasingly feeling stuck, unmotivated and unproductive.
—Maria Gracia Santillana Linares, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unproductive
Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 16 Apr. 2025
Instead, tax dollars are being siphoned off to fund unproductive and unnecessary programs that benefit radical interest groups while hurting hard-working American citizens.
—William Lambers, Newsweek, 9 Mar. 2025
The remainder of the lineup was unproductive with men in scoring position.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 17 Apr. 2025
It’s left employees increasingly feeling stuck, unmotivated and unproductive.
—Maria Gracia Santillana Linares, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unproductive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unproductive
Adjective
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In the early 1900s, Jennie Butchart transformed the scarred land of a barren limestone quarry into a lush retreat, proving nature’s resilience.—
Cheryl Russell,
Oc Register,
11 May 2025
-
The inky ocean depths are often assumed to be barren, but this is a myth, said Adrian Glover, a deep-sea ocean scientist at the UK’s Natural History Museum.—
Laura Paddison,
CNN Money,
8 May 2025
Adjective
-
Several attempts to establish at least a partial ceasefire have been unsuccessful.—
DASHA LITVINOVA,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2025
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Later that month, Kalyn Free, an attorney from Oklahoma who was unsuccessful in her bid for a vice chair position, filed a complaint alleging that the DNC improperly merged two separate questions into a single vote.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 May 2025
Adjective
-
A lot of people have this idea of the north as being cold and desolate, and maybe people, once upon a time, lived up there, but don't anymore.—
Dana Feldman,
Forbes.com,
22 Apr. 2025
-
The Memphis rapper began the show with dramatics, rising on a giant platform with her back to the audience as a screen behind her projected the image of a desolate street.—
John Lonsdale,
Rolling Stone,
12 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Though their efforts were futile, their remains provide remarkable insight into the doomed city’s final moments.—
Eli Wizevich,
Smithsonian Magazine,
13 May 2025
-
Through the two-hour journey that makes up the Thunderbolt’s origin story, the audience experiences the way these skilled fighters continue butting heads over the most futile issues.—
Malik Peay,
Essence,
8 May 2025
Adjective
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Infectious disease experts note that the vitamin is most useful in impoverished countries where children are significantly malnourished.—
Katherine Dillinger,
CNN Money,
1 May 2025
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Post-Civil War, however, the nation was tired, and large segments of the population—especially in the South—were impoverished.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
15 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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But in a time long before replay could overturn a call, protest was useless.—
Blair Kerkhoff,
Kansas City Star,
16 May 2025
-
Those strong starts are useless if the Celtics can’t hold onto the advantage.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
12 May 2025
Adjective
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Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns each added 23 points and OG Anunoby bounced back from two poor performances by scoring 20 for the Knicks, who can win the series Wednesday night at Boston.—
Brian Mahoney,
Baltimore Sun,
13 May 2025
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Boston built big second-half leads on New York in both Games 1 and 2 at home, but squandered them due to uncharacteristically poor 3-point shooting.—
Tyler Everett,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 May 2025
Adjective
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This anti-waste brand upcycles materials, and was founded by Kisa Sky Shiga.—
Nadja Sayej,
Forbes,
20 Dec. 2022
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Fanning out like urban guerrillas through Paris’ darkened streets well after midnight, the anti-waste activists shinny up walls and drain pipes, reaching for switches to turn off the lights. Click.—
The Christian Science Monitor,
The Christian Science Monitor,
3 Aug. 2022
Cite this Entry
“Unproductive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unproductive. Accessed 23 May. 2025.
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