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
Commission officials reportedly flew to San Francisco last Thursday to press Anthropic executives directly, following weeks of unproductive negotiations.
—
Beatrice Nolan,
Fortune,
2 June 2026
Some 43% of employees report busy-but-unproductive days often or very often, but the burden is unevenly distributed.
—
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Oddly enough, Lewis — bedeviled by a series of injuries that included two season-ending knee surgeries since even before his MLB clock started ticking — has been healthy and unproductive.
—
John Shipley,
Twin Cities,
29 May 2026
Failing to Declutter First Trying to overhaul your current storage system while the garage is cramped with clutter (which also minimizes the value of your home) is unproductive.
—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for unproductive
Beatrice Nolan,
Fortune,
2 June 2026
Some 43% of employees report busy-but-unproductive days often or very often, but the burden is unevenly distributed.
—
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Oddly enough, Lewis — bedeviled by a series of injuries that included two season-ending knee surgeries since even before his MLB clock started ticking — has been healthy and unproductive.
—
John Shipley,
Twin Cities,
29 May 2026
Failing to Declutter First Trying to overhaul your current storage system while the garage is cramped with clutter (which also minimizes the value of your home) is unproductive.
—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for unproductive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unproductive
Adjective
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The fires eviscerated many of the plants and trees in and around the burn zones, leaving behind barren lots and charred swaths of parkland.
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There are quite a few interesting options this summer, especially compared to last year’s barren goalie landscape that was headlined by veteran backups.
Adjective
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More than a decade ago, her association sought the same change at the federal level and was unsuccessful — opposed at the time by Wine Institute.
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The city had taken it over, but several attempts at renovation were unsuccessful, until Alan Leventhal, chief executive of Beacon Capital Partners, happened to see the building and envisioned it as a great hotel.
Adjective
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Wilderness Little Kulala is about a 45-minute drive outside the park, located in a seemingly desolate rocky plain with harsh, jagged mountains interspersed throughout the flatlands.
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Most of the women disappeared between 2000 and 2010, and most of their remains were found on a desolate parkway not far from Long Island’s Gilgo Beach, some 50 miles (80 kilometers) from Manhattan.
Adjective
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Uso’s conquest proved to be futile.
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Some days that hope can seem futile.
Adjective
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South Africa has a history of xenophobic violence as migrants from poor nations like Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Malawi generally end up settling in impoverished communities in South Africa where unemployment and frustrations are high.
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Dreesen moved to Los Angeles, living on $1 a day and hitchhiking to The Comedy Store, begging for a set and bonding with other impoverished comedians.
Adjective
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The six Republican appointees said those protections were effectively useless and not binding.
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Most of the information is useless.
Adjective
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Because of that, these hands suffer from high production costs, poor durability against impacts, short operational lifespans, and there are no existing solutions that engineers can readily draw upon, Wang added.
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The extreme heat can also affect people who are physically ill, especially those with heart disease or high blood pressure, or who take certain medications, such as for depression, insomnia, or poor circulation.
Adjective
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Recycling and anti-waste advocates counter that regulators weakened the law with exemptions and carve-outs that could undermine its environmental goals.
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Shards of glass and ceramic, rusted metal, medical and bio-waste, syringes, cracked circuit boards, and broken electronics protruded everywhere.
Cite this Entry
“Unproductive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unproductive. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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