1
as in unsuccessful
not producing the desired result
an ineffective effort to reduce unemployment that only spurred inflation
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2
as in futile
producing no results
an ineffective medication that will be denied FDA approval
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Recent Examples of ineffective
This left many voters with financial worries choosing between ineffective regulation and regulation evisceration.
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Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
Though some available cold medicines help relieve symptoms, others are ineffective.
—Maggie O'Neill, Verywell Health, 2 Dec. 2024
In the end, that strategy and argument proved ineffective.
—Alexander Bolton, The Hill, 29 Nov. 2024
Jackson scored on a clever 10-yard run against the Chargers but was curiously ineffective on the ground otherwise with just five yards on his other seven attempts.
—Childs Walker, Baltimore Sun, 27 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for ineffective 
Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
Though some available cold medicines help relieve symptoms, others are ineffective.
—Maggie O'Neill, Verywell Health, 2 Dec. 2024
In the end, that strategy and argument proved ineffective.
—Alexander Bolton, The Hill, 29 Nov. 2024
Jackson scored on a clever 10-yard run against the Chargers but was curiously ineffective on the ground otherwise with just five yards on his other seven attempts.
—Childs Walker, Baltimore Sun, 27 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for ineffective
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ineffective
Adjective
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Stabilize leadership and prepare to scale down, S&P warns After CTU and CPS asking for more state funds earlier this year proved unsuccessful, new revenue from Springfield is unlikely, the S&P noted.Sarah Macaraeg, Chicago Tribune, 14 Dec. 2024
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However, the equipment has been unsuccessful in detecting the drones.Sudiksha Kochi, USA TODAY, 14 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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With dwindling options, Iran also withdrew its allied militias, recognizing that fighting for Assad would be futile.Natasha Hall, Foreign Affairs, 9 Dec. 2024
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This prospect seems likely because the ACLU is poised to pursue the case if the government drops out, making withdrawal by the new Trump administration potentially futile.Catherine Cole, CBS News, 22 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Create a Department of Government Efficiency Fund Regulatory bloat is not only costly for businesses but also for taxpayers who foot the bill for wasteful and inefficient agencies.James Broughel, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024
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These reactions show generalized anger over the lack of control people have over their economic lives, exemplified specifically on how health care is provided and paid for in our nation and how that unjust and inefficient system has been allowed, if not openly fostered, by government policy.Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 15 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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This is a fashion collab designed for women’s bodies to be looked at, but the functionality is useless.Jamie Aranoff, Outside Online, 12 Dec. 2024
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It was built on NBA men who subsidized that useless league for decades.Asher Notheis, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 11 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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President Biden has faced scrutiny for his decision as several Democrats on Capitol Hill have condemned the move as counterproductive to their party’s efforts toward rebuilding public trust in American institutions derided by President-elect Trump.Juliann Ventura, The Hill, 11 Dec. 2024
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If the physical qubits are too failure-prone, error correction is counterproductive — adding more physical qubits will make the logical qubits worse, not better.Ben Brubaker, Quanta Magazine, 9 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near ineffective
Cite this Entry
“Ineffective.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ineffective. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
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