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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unproductive
Very cold temperatures, heavy snow or ice, pests, and diseases can leave you with damaged or unproductive plants the next year.
—
Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Oct. 2025
Over the years, despite concerns about her behavior and her parents’ pleas to get help, Alice’s brushes with health-care professionals are unproductive until she is institutionalized.
—Jasmine Vojdani, Vulture, 7 Oct. 2025
On many of Seattle’s other unproductive runs, the operation just looks out of sync.
—Michael-Shawn Dugar, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
On the other hand, Pribula often looked unsure of himself in the pocket, which led to unproductive passing plays.
—Quentin Corpuel, Kansas City Star, 28 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unproductive
Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Oct. 2025
Over the years, despite concerns about her behavior and her parents’ pleas to get help, Alice’s brushes with health-care professionals are unproductive until she is institutionalized.
—Jasmine Vojdani, Vulture, 7 Oct. 2025
On many of Seattle’s other unproductive runs, the operation just looks out of sync.
—Michael-Shawn Dugar, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
On the other hand, Pribula often looked unsure of himself in the pocket, which led to unproductive passing plays.
—Quentin Corpuel, Kansas City Star, 28 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unproductive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unproductive
Adjective
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The barren Martian landscape stretches as far as the eye can see, interrupted only occasionally by the faintest of tire tracks marking the unpaved road on Libya’s north-south route.—
Mick Krever,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
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In the wild, macaques can traverse miles of novel terrain each week and socialize through grooming, but in many laboratories they are isolated in barren cages no bigger than a washing machine.—
Ava Kofman,
New Yorker,
3 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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But her appeal was unsuccessful.—
Ralphie Aversa,
USA Today,
9 Nov. 2025
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Industry lobbying unsuccessful to date Some advocates for the restaurant industry have been lobbying to change the way service fees are treated.—
Cheryl Winokur Munk,
CNBC,
8 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The Irvines’ son died in the crash, and Peter used the cover of the most inexplicably desolate street in Chicago to switch his body for Carrie’s healthy son while the two women lay unconscious.—
Hunter Ingram,
Variety,
8 Nov. 2025
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Almost always surrounded by bare, desolate mountains.—
Joe Baur,
Outside,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Police struggle to maintain order, their wooden sticks cracking against the pavement in a futile attempt to control the sheer mass of people.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
9 Nov. 2025
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Trying to win new, younger shoppers is expensive and may end up being futile.—
Phil Wahba,
Fortune,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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All the struggling, impoverished Californians who wish their lives were better?—
U T Editorial Board,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Nov. 2025
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The flood of people overwhelmed Bajo Chiquito, an impoverished community of 382 members of the Indigenous Emberá-Wounaan people.—
Daniel Gonzalez,
AZCentral.com,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Pattinson plays the character’s increasingly useless husband.—
Zack Sharf,
Variety,
5 Nov. 2025
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My French was useless—I was also considered a tourist by association.—
Lane Nieset,
Travel + Leisure,
2 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The Ministry of Environment blamed this year’s surge on a poor acorn harvest – which drove a similar spate of attacks in 2023.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
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Rather, the slow start (by Ovechkin’s standards) to this season seemed due more to poor puck luck.—
Sean Gentille,
New York Times,
6 Nov. 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 16 Nov. 2025.
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