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
That shift was positive for tribal leaders, who had unproductive relationships with the state after Noem was banned from tribal lands, Lengkeek said.
—
Molly Wetsch, South Dakota News Watch, 17 Jan. 2026
The human brain is highly susceptible to often unproductive mind-wandering, and modern technology has only made the problem worse.
—Harvard Business Review, 7 Jan. 2026
Unless societies can chart a path between recognizing human freedom and acknowledging the peril of depopulation, the conversation about low fertility will be, at best, unproductive and, at worst, actively dangerous for individual rights.
—Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
Other experts have concluded that, for most people, multitasking is an unproductive myth.
—Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 28 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unproductive
Molly Wetsch, South Dakota News Watch, 17 Jan. 2026
The human brain is highly susceptible to often unproductive mind-wandering, and modern technology has only made the problem worse.
—Harvard Business Review, 7 Jan. 2026
Unless societies can chart a path between recognizing human freedom and acknowledging the peril of depopulation, the conversation about low fertility will be, at best, unproductive and, at worst, actively dangerous for individual rights.
—Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
Other experts have concluded that, for most people, multitasking is an unproductive myth.
—Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 28 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unproductive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unproductive
Adjective
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Melbourne, Australia — An ungainly barrel of a shark cruising languidly over a barren seabed far too deep for the sun's rays to illuminate was an unexpected sight.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
18 Feb. 2026
-
The park benches are bare, the outdoor cafe tables barren.—
Nora Krug,
Washington Post,
15 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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His work there included an unsuccessful effort to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census, which drew congressional scrutiny.—
Dan Sullivan,
Miami Herald,
19 Feb. 2026
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Attempts to reach Coplan and Jones individually were unsuccessful.—
Dan Bernstein,
Sportico.com,
19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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While Scarry’s books present such catastrophes with bright colors and good humor, Gomez undermines this cheer by superimposing on the mural a nearly all-black painting of a desolate tent encampment in front of a home destroyed by the Eaton fire.—
Sharon Mizota,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Feb. 2026
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The clash of beauty and filth is well suited for Brontë’s desolate tale of romance in a tempestuous climate, where Cathy is constantly caught between Victorian propriety and her baser, wilder nature.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
This defeatist thinking is misguided and assumes action will be futile.—
Jim Costa,
Mercury News,
17 Feb. 2026
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All throughout the film, there are images of terrible things being done to other creatures, as if to express the humans’ futile attempts to tamp down their natural urges.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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This village near the Swiss border has had sales tax exemptions since medieval times, which allowed the impoverished, cut-off area to bring in goods.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
18 Feb. 2026
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An education advocate, Jackson founded the PUSH/Excel program to motivate Black and impoverished students to achieve excellence through schooling.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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While sowing seeds in winter is a smart way to get a head start on gardening season, doing so too early can stress your seedlings, rendering your efforts useless.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
22 Feb. 2026
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Suspects are allegedly jamming the signal, making your camera useless.—
Chris Hoffman,
CBS News,
17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Policymakers globally are increasingly worried that the unequal adoption of AI risks widening income and development gaps between rich and poor countries.—
Hanna Ziady,
CNN Money,
18 Feb. 2026
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In November, Jesse Jackon was hospitalized again after suffering a fall while protesting poor campus living conditions with students at Howard University.—
Mary Kekatos,
ABC News,
17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Breakfast is served in the Heritage Room, and is never too copious, in line with the hotel's anti-waste policy.—
Maddalena Fossati,
Condé Nast Traveler,
6 Feb. 2026
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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
Cite this Entry
“Unproductive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unproductive. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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