as in unsuccessful
not producing the desired result
harsh disciplinary measures that prove to be counterproductive
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Recent Examples of counterproductive
Idaho representatives reject ‘counterproductive’ fix Some lawmakers on Monday dismissed the bill as a simple tax increase.
—
Mark Dee
march 25, Idaho Statesman, 25 Mar. 2026
Tech leaders have quietly backed Anthropic, saying that AI isn’t ready for some weapons and that strong-arming companies is counterproductive and antidemocratic.
—Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2026
That seems to be counterproductive.
—David Remnick, New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2026
In July of last year Steyer sent out a tweet criticizing rent control for its deleterious and counterproductive effects.
—Rafael Perez, Oc Register, 1 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for counterproductive
Mark Dee
march 25, Idaho Statesman, 25 Mar. 2026
Tech leaders have quietly backed Anthropic, saying that AI isn’t ready for some weapons and that strong-arming companies is counterproductive and antidemocratic.
—Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2026
That seems to be counterproductive.
—David Remnick, New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2026
In July of last year Steyer sent out a tweet criticizing rent control for its deleterious and counterproductive effects.
—Rafael Perez, Oc Register, 1 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for counterproductive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for counterproductive
Adjective
-
Attempts to get a comment from the district office were unsuccessful.—
Clifford Ward,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Corrections staff attempted life-saving measures but were unsuccessful, according to the MDOC.—
Joseph Buczek,
CBS News,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Advocates say the system is not only inefficient but inhumane.—
Jim DeFede,
CBS News,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Seth Lugo salvages inefficient start Lugo didn’t have his best command Saturday.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
When the law that governs CARE Court was being written, many advocacy groups insisted that coercion is ineffective and that modern mental health care favors treating people in the least restrictive settings possible.—
Kelly Davis,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Their navy has been deemed combat ineffective.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
29 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Counterproductive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/counterproductive. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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