counterproductive
adjective
coun·ter·pro·duc·tive
ˌkau̇n-tər-prə-ˈdək-tiv 
: tending to hinder the attainment of a desired goal
… violence as a means to achieve an end is counterproductive.—
W. E. Brock III
W. E. Brock IIIExamples of counterproductive in a Sentence
His uncontrollable anger is very counterproductive to his attempt at saving his marriage.
harsh disciplinary measures that prove to be counterproductive
Recent Examples on the Web
The leaks also led to major changes at Meta and in the tech industry, which began to weed out research that could be viewed as counterproductive for the companies.
—Jonathan Vanian, CNBC, 29 Mar. 2026
These structured habits—doing the same thing in the same place at the same time of day—were more likely to lead to long-term success than attempting to squelch counterproductive impulses in the moment.
—Francine Russo, Scientific American, 28 Mar. 2026
These requirements can become counterproductive when people who get SNAP benefits have to miss work, for example, to provide proof of their employment track record because their caseworkers have lost their paperwork.
—Claudia Strauss, The Conversation, 25 Mar. 2026
But at least a few residents slam the Route 44 plan as wasteful and counterproductive.
—Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for counterproductive
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Jonathan Vanian, CNBC, 29 Mar. 2026
These structured habits—doing the same thing in the same place at the same time of day—were more likely to lead to long-term success than attempting to squelch counterproductive impulses in the moment.
—Francine Russo, Scientific American, 28 Mar. 2026
These requirements can become counterproductive when people who get SNAP benefits have to miss work, for example, to provide proof of their employment track record because their caseworkers have lost their paperwork.
—Claudia Strauss, The Conversation, 25 Mar. 2026
But at least a few residents slam the Route 44 plan as wasteful and counterproductive.
—Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for counterproductive
Cite this Entry
“Counterproductive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/counterproductive. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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