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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ineffective
Even a court order was ineffective, much to the chagrin of law enforcement.
—
Richard Forno, The Conversation, 16 May 2025
The remaining half-dozen samples left Defender looking ineffective.
—PC Magazine, 14 May 2025
Morgan was ineffective last season for the first time in her professional career.
—Ryan Finley, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 May 2025
Frequent adjustments compromise the seal of the ear cup and result in ineffective sound reduction.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 12 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for ineffective
Richard Forno, The Conversation, 16 May 2025
The remaining half-dozen samples left Defender looking ineffective.
—PC Magazine, 14 May 2025
Morgan was ineffective last season for the first time in her professional career.
—Ryan Finley, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 May 2025
Frequent adjustments compromise the seal of the ear cup and result in ineffective sound reduction.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 12 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for ineffective
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ineffective
Adjective
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Officials said he was found semiconscious on the River Trail on June 30 but resuscitation attempts were unsuccessful.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
24 May 2025
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Efforts to refloat the ship during high tide on Thursday were unsuccessful.—
Jasmine Baehr,
FOXNews.com,
23 May 2025
Adjective
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Cutting spending wasted on a futile pursuit of a global empire is not just a fiscal necessity.—
Ron Paul,
Oc Register,
20 May 2025
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Desperate Steve Kerr frequently toggled his non-Draymond Green big men as late as the second round of the playoffs in a futile effort to contain the giants of the Minnesota Timberwolves around the rim.—
Alex Kirschenbaum,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 May 2025
Adjective
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But banking on state governments to match the resources of the federal government—cash, expertise, largess—is an inefficient use of funds, as states in most cases have to stay in the black and cannot use debt for operations like a from-the-ground-up rebuild.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
29 May 2025
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All year long the Red Sox have been plagued by inconsistent offense, inefficient pitching and inexplicable lapses on defense and on the base paths.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
28 May 2025
Adjective
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The character who can go through walls is useless, because beyond the walls is nothing but dirt.—
Katy Waldman,
New Yorker,
24 May 2025
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For one, any melasma treatment is practically useless without them.—
Jenny Berg,
Allure,
24 May 2025
Adjective
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The underlying premise of the Norwegian method is that hero workouts that leave you crumpled by the side of the track are counterproductive.—
Alex Hutchinson,
Outside Online,
19 May 2025
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But regulating for the sake of regulating is counterproductive, and the existing framework already goes way beyond policing fraud and consumer harms.—
Norbert Michel,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ineffective.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ineffective. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.
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