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
Pick one seemingly unproductive attention-training activity and practice it consistently.
—
Big Think, 11 Sep. 2025
Houston currently leads the division but continues a major tailspin, particularly with an unproductive offense.
—Tim Crowley, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Aug. 2025
Freeman stole second base to get into scoring position, but Andy Pages and Alex Call struck out, extending the Dodgers’ unproductive night to 1 for 7 with runners in scoring position.
—Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 19 Aug. 2025
Yet even in this willfully unproductive use of leisure time, work hovers overhead like a ghost.
—Julie Beck, The Atlantic, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unproductive
Big Think, 11 Sep. 2025
Houston currently leads the division but continues a major tailspin, particularly with an unproductive offense.
—Tim Crowley, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Aug. 2025
Freeman stole second base to get into scoring position, but Andy Pages and Alex Call struck out, extending the Dodgers’ unproductive night to 1 for 7 with runners in scoring position.
—Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 19 Aug. 2025
Yet even in this willfully unproductive use of leisure time, work hovers overhead like a ghost.
—Julie Beck, The Atlantic, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unproductive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unproductive
Adjective
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The Giants have Logan Webb and Robbie Ray as their 1-2 punch, but the starting pitching is barren behind them.—
Drew VonScio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Oct. 2025
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Piazzale Angelo Moratti will no longer appear like a vast docking station for a bleeping spaceship on a barren planet, serviced only by rickety trams and a purple metro line.—
James Horncastle,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The pose Harris struck and held through her unsuccessful 2024 campaign for the White House is called the good soldier.—
Jeremy Lott,
The Washington Examiner,
3 Oct. 2025
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Now, after years of mostly unsuccessful efforts to eliminate windows from cabins, one luxury jet maker appears to be on the verge of doing just that.—
Mack DeGeurin,
Popular Science,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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To find the killer, Sherlock Holmes and Watson will have to brave desolate moors before a family curse dooms the newest heirs.—
Meredith G. White,
AZCentral.com,
1 Oct. 2025
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With its primary tenant away, the pro stadium here in central Japan was desolate outside.—
Brad Lefton,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The rest of the industry wants to emulate this success, but as many editors know, chasing a trend can be a futile endeavor.—
Rebecca Ackermann,
The Atlantic,
5 Oct. 2025
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At least one company ended the workday early, figuring any attempts to get employees back on track would be futile.—
Kristen Parisi,
Fortune,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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But the Shah’s failure to provide support to the peasants led to their farms failing, and sent waves of impoverished migrants to Tehran and other Iranian cities—many of whom would later fuel the 1979 revolution.—
Nik Kowsar,
Time,
2 Oct. 2025
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Her existence in the vibrant capital city of Sepphoris brings into questions some of our traditional assumptions of Mary as an impoverished illiterate from a backwater rural village with no exposure to Greco-Roman culture.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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But having 10 power play opportunities also made the game somewhat useless.—
Arpon Basu,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
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With her charger useless and the screen showing a dangerously low percentage, the reality sank in.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Similar protests occurred in Brazil over steep living costs and poor healthcare and education ahead of the country hosting the 2014 World Cup tournament.—
Connor Greene,
Time,
2 Oct. 2025
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Over time, dysfunctional breathing reinforces poor posture and scapular instability.—
Dana Santas,
CNN Money,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Local laws and supplier audits The OECD has called on Shein to publish further public information about its compliance with France’s anti-waste law (AGEC), which aims to move businesses toward greater circularity.—
Meghan Hall,
Sourcing Journal,
1 Oct. 2025
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This anti-waste brand upcycles materials, and was founded by Kisa Sky Shiga.—
Nadja Sayej,
Forbes,
20 Dec. 2022
Cite this Entry
“Unproductive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unproductive. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
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