unproductive

adjective

un·​pro·​duc·​tive ˌən-prə-ˈdək-tiv 

-prō-

: not effective in bringing something about : not yielding results, benefits, or profits : not productive

unproductive meetings

unproductive strategies

unproductive workers

Synonyms

• barren
• bony
• boney
• dead
• desolate
• hardscrabble
• impoverished
• infertile
• poor
• stark
• unfertile
• waste

Examples of unproductive in a Sentence

crop rotation had prevented the farmland from becoming unproductive

her attempts to write a novel have been unproductive

Recent Examples on the Web

But some of those allusions to unproductive mornings and squinting unpreparedness belie an unease with the endeavor of book reviewing itself. —Sloane Crosley, The New Yorker, 1 Nov. 2024

Even missing just a few hours of sleep can turn the most stable person into a grumpy, unproductive mess the next day. —Valentina Bottoni, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2024

Because drivers spending a minute or two searching for a package can rack up hour of unproductive time. —Gene Marks, Forbes, 20 Oct. 2024

Basically, Harris wants more of the same unfair, unproductive tax handouts. —Veronique De Rugy, Twin Cities, 16 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1676, in the meaning defined above