abortive

adjective

abor·​tive ə-ˈbȯr-tiv 

1

obsolete : prematurely born

2

: fruitless, unsuccessful

3

: imperfectly formed or developed

4

: tending to cut short

abortively adverb

abortiveness noun

Synonyms

• barren
• bootless
• empty
• fruitless
• futile
• ineffective
• ineffectual
• inefficacious
• otiose
• profitless
• unavailing
• unproductive
• unprofitable
• unsuccessful
• useless
• vain

Examples of abortive in a Sentence

an abortive attempt to recover the sunken pirate ship

Recent Examples on the Web

One is Eliot Spitzer, who during his abortive tenure as governor, knocked heads to get slow-mo insurers to pay the giant settlement that a court had awarded to Silverstein. —Justin Davidson, Curbed, 11 Sep. 2024

The picture arrives, of course, at a fallow time for Marvel after a string of duds and an abortive attempt to introduce a new superhero phase following the climactic, stage-clearing (and absurdly lucrative) battles of Avengers: Endgame. —Zoe Guy, Vulture, 25 July 2024

The abortive investigation was overseen by Ralph Barrington, the head of the Criminal Investigation Department at the Essex Police. —Heidi Blake, The New Yorker, 29 July 2024

The novel’s denouement finds Lucy planning to stay on the farm to raise her child and David, humbled by an abortive attempt to return to Cape Town, working in the animal shelter near her property. —Lauren Leblanc, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English abortyffe, borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French abbortif, borrowed from Latin abortīvus, from abortus, past participle of aborīrī "to miscarry, abort entry 1" + -īvus -ive

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

abortive

adjective

abor·​tive ə-ˈbȯrt-iv 

1

: unsuccessful in achieving the desired conclusion or result

an abortive escape attempt

2

: imperfectly formed or developed : rudimentary

abortively adverb

abortiveness noun

Medical Definition

abortive

adjective

abor·​tive ə-ˈbȯrt-iv 

1

: imperfectly formed or developed : rudimentary

2

a

: abortifacient

b

: cutting short

abortive treatment of pneumonia

c

: failing to develop completely or typically

an abortive case of poliomyelitis