ineffective
adjective
in·ef·fec·tive
ˌi-nə-ˈfek-tiv 
1
: not producing an intended effect : ineffectual
ineffective lighting
2
: not capable of performing efficiently or as expected : incapable
an ineffective executive
ineffectively
adverb
ineffectiveness
noun
Synonyms
Examples of ineffective in a Sentence
The treatment was ineffective against the disease.
an ineffective effort to reduce unemployment that only spurred inflation
Recent Examples on the Web
My sister-in-law’s response to her dogs was ineffective.
—
R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 26 Oct. 2024
PepsiCo, General Mills, Mondelez and other snack giants have ramped up promotions to try to win back customers, but the promotions have been ineffective, according to Bank of America.
—Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN, 16 Oct. 2024
Iran indirectly telegraphed its strike in advance to the United States, rendering the barrage of drones and missiles largely ineffective.
—Ali Vaez, Foreign Affairs, 11 Oct. 2024
San Francisco has a 13-0 lead, but Seattle is somehow not in awful shape despite two turnovers and an ineffective offense.
—Greg Rosenstein, NBC News, 11 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for ineffective 
R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 26 Oct. 2024
PepsiCo, General Mills, Mondelez and other snack giants have ramped up promotions to try to win back customers, but the promotions have been ineffective, according to Bank of America.
—Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN, 16 Oct. 2024
Iran indirectly telegraphed its strike in advance to the United States, rendering the barrage of drones and missiles largely ineffective.
—Ali Vaez, Foreign Affairs, 11 Oct. 2024
San Francisco has a 13-0 lead, but Seattle is somehow not in awful shape despite two turnovers and an ineffective offense.
—Greg Rosenstein, NBC News, 11 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for ineffective
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ineffective.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near ineffective
Cite this Entry
“Ineffective.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ineffective. Accessed 30 Oct. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
ineffective
adjective
in·ef·fec·tive
ˌin-ə-ˈfek-tiv
1
: not producing the desired effect
an ineffective law
2
: not performing as well as expected or needed
an ineffective leader
ineffectively
adverb
ineffectiveness
noun
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