unsustainable

adjective

un·​sus·​tain·​able ˌən-sə-ˈstā-nə-bəl How to pronounce unsustainable (audio)
: not capable of being prolonged or continued : not sustainable
unsustainable agricultural practices
unsustainable growth
unsustainability noun
unsustainably adverb
an unsustainably high rate of growth

Examples of unsustainable in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This was unsustainable before the potential for the House v NCAA settlement. Karen Weaver, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025 Initially, Total Access caught on, with Blockbuster attracting 2 million online subscribers in its first year, more than a quarter of Netflix’s user base, but the offer was unsustainable. Brent Lang, Variety, 20 Mar. 2025 This is completely unsustainable and puts our economy on a path of instability and decline. David Faris, Newsweek, 17 Mar. 2025 That bailout is unsustainable, though, so seniors should brace for more pain in coming years. Saul Anuzis, Boston Herald, 15 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for unsustainable

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1677, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unsustainable was circa 1677

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Cite this Entry

“Unsustainable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unsustainable. Accessed 29 Mar. 2025.

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