1
as in unsuccessful
not producing the desired result
an ineffective effort to reduce unemployment that only spurred inflation
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in futile
producing no results
an ineffective medication that will be denied FDA approval
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of ineffective
As the Electronic Frontier Foundation recently noted, CBP and Border Patrol have tested various iterations of a surveillance network along the border for decades — and time after time, these systems have been shown to be costly and ineffective at reducing unauthorized border crossings.
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Gaby Del Valle, The Verge, 21 Oct. 2024
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
See all Example Sentences for ineffective 
Gaby Del Valle, The Verge, 21 Oct. 2024
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
See all Example Sentences for ineffective
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ineffective
Adjective
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Attempts to reach Board of Elections officials about Ike's case Tuesday night were unsuccessful.Amber Hunt, The Enquirer, 6 Nov. 2024
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Multiple attempts by Newsweek for comment from the Maritime Sikh Society have been unsuccessful.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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After a full year of fighting, efforts to restore peace have proven futile so far, and mitigating the conflict's worst impacts continues to be a daily struggle.Shannon K. Kingston, ABC News, 7 Oct. 2024
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Defending himself, Musk said it was meant merely to highlight how futile such an endeavor would be.Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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On top of that, passive learning tends to be slow and inefficient.Aytekin Tank, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
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Niccol aims to tackle issues contributing to longer wait times, such as inadequate staffing during peak hours and inefficient food preparation.Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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These latest such initiatives focus on linking cookies to devices and apps, rendering thefts useless.Zak Doffman, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2024
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Elevators stopped working between floors, stoplights stopped working at intersections and life-saving pacemakers were rendered useless.Mars King, Twin Cities, 30 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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If certain gender-affirming care interventions turn out to be counterproductive, does mandatory coverage actually benefit patients?Ge Bai, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024
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This move, described as reckless by Petty, was seen as a counterproductive decision that ultimately cost him valuable positions in a race critical to his standing heading into the playoffs.Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near ineffective
Cite this Entry
“Ineffective.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ineffective. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
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