1
as in barren
producing inferior or only a small amount of vegetation
crop rotation had prevented the farmland from becoming unproductive
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in unsuccessful
producing no results
her attempts to write a novel have been unproductive
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of unproductive
Allow that the firing of a career bureaucrat may have been unfair and unproductive.
—
George Calhoun, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2025
In the aftermath of their unproductive talk at the villa, Rainbeau has finally let go of any pretense of niceness toward her.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 5 Aug. 2025
In the wake of this failure, Getz tried to express his utmost faith in Robert, who has been unreliable and unproductive for the last two seasons.
—Jon Greenberg, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2025
This requires understanding people's natural defensive reactions when things go wrong and encouraging problem-solving rather than unproductive blame.
—Elaine Pulakos, Forbes.com, 30 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for unproductive
George Calhoun, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2025
In the aftermath of their unproductive talk at the villa, Rainbeau has finally let go of any pretense of niceness toward her.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 5 Aug. 2025
In the wake of this failure, Getz tried to express his utmost faith in Robert, who has been unreliable and unproductive for the last two seasons.
—Jon Greenberg, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2025
This requires understanding people's natural defensive reactions when things go wrong and encouraging problem-solving rather than unproductive blame.
—Elaine Pulakos, Forbes.com, 30 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for unproductive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unproductive
Adjective
-
Those fleeting, vibrant days are the perfect time for hiking through a mix of wooded mountainside, barren volcanic landscapes, and marshland, with stops at some of Japan’s most rustic hot springs.—
Rob Goss,
AFAR Media,
26 Aug. 2025
-
Whether nestled in lush forests or barren deserts, these towns bear the scars of time, showcasing human ingenuity while reminding us of the inevitability of decay.—
Kieron Marchese,
Architectural Digest,
25 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Meyer said efforts to relocate the warehouse were unsuccessful.—
Erik S. Hanley,
jsonline.com,
28 Aug. 2025
-
Marsh’s years of litigation against the city have been unsuccessful so far.—
Alice Yin,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The film opens in the desolate Arctic, where Victor has chased his creation, and flashes back as Frankenstein relates his life’s story to a Danish sea captain whose ship is stuck in the ice.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
30 Aug. 2025
-
Springsteen wouldn’t even allow his photo to appear on the album cover, instead choosing a black-and-white image from the POV of the inside of a car traveling down a desolate highway on a cloudy day.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Bodyguard of Lies, an investigation into the United States’ bloody, costly, and ultimately futile war in Afghanistan, will open theatrically for a limited run in New York on September 12, before bowing on the Paramount+ platform on Sept. 23.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
13 Aug. 2025
-
But given the likely futile nature of the Braves' remaining games at that point, he might unofficially be done for the year.—
Peter Chawaga,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 July 2025
Adjective
-
Many people, especially those of us raised in impoverished (in the widest sense of the word) environments, spend their twenties banging their heads against a wall.—
Jane Ciabattari
August 19,
Literary Hub,
19 Aug. 2025
-
As with many of his innovations and creations, the inspiration for his unbreakable porcelain came from his impoverished childhood.—
Anthony DeMarco,
Forbes.com,
18 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Likewise, even the best dashboard is useless if your team doesn't use it.—
Ramachander Rao Thallada,
Forbes.com,
21 Aug. 2025
-
One newspaper here calling the summit, sickening, shameful, and, in the end, useless.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The White House disputes the prediction, arguing the Congressional Budget Office is a poor predictor of outcomes.—
Jessie Opoien,
jsonline.com,
29 Aug. 2025
-
Yet that season, the Cubs’ overall fate was sealed thanks to a poor 10-18 May and a 12-17 run in the last month of the season.—
Andy Frye,
Forbes.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
This anti-waste brand upcycles materials, and was founded by Kisa Sky Shiga.—
Nadja Sayej,
Forbes,
20 Dec. 2022
-
Fanning out like urban guerrillas through Paris’ darkened streets well after midnight, the anti-waste activists shinny up walls and drain pipes, reaching for switches to turn off the lights. Click.—
The Christian Science Monitor,
The Christian Science Monitor,
3 Aug. 2022
Cite this Entry
“Unproductive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unproductive. Accessed 3 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share