as in unsuccessful
not producing the desired result
harsh disciplinary measures that prove to be counterproductive
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Recent Examples of counterproductive
Trump’s threats to attack Iran are counterproductive You’re all caught up.
—
Ellen Mitchell, The Hill, 8 Apr. 2025
Cleaner air is always appealing, but rushing into sweeping regulatory shifts that will have little long-term effect would be counterproductive.
—Ryan Nawrocki, Baltimore Sun, 13 Apr. 2025
When Musk is in a bad mood, well, an interview is usually counterproductive.
—ArsTechnica, 11 Apr. 2025
Autism advocacy groups worry that Kennedy’s study may prove counterproductive.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 10 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for counterproductive
Ellen Mitchell, The Hill, 8 Apr. 2025
Cleaner air is always appealing, but rushing into sweeping regulatory shifts that will have little long-term effect would be counterproductive.
—Ryan Nawrocki, Baltimore Sun, 13 Apr. 2025
When Musk is in a bad mood, well, an interview is usually counterproductive.
—ArsTechnica, 11 Apr. 2025
Autism advocacy groups worry that Kennedy’s study may prove counterproductive.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 10 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for counterproductive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for counterproductive
Adjective
-
But the Supreme Court denied the court order and requests to President Donald Trump from family, supporters and her attorney were unsuccessful.—
Nicole Acosta,
People.com,
19 Apr. 2025
-
In 1945, an attempt was made to identify the unknown remains, but the effort was unsuccessful, the DPAA said.—
Kerry Breen,
CBS News,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Hardware orders in late March reached new records, indicating operators are swapping out inefficient rigs rather than capitulating.—
Dave Birnbaum,
Forbes.com,
21 Apr. 2025
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More importantly, Brunson is coming off a 34-point night in Game 1 despite a rare inefficient shooting night.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The White House takes aim at the Biden administration and Democrats’ handling of the pandemic, arguing lockdowns were detrimental, masks were ineffective, and the 6-foot distance rule was arbitrarily made up by Fauci.—
Elaine Mallon,
The Washington Examiner,
18 Apr. 2025
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If both avoidance and OTC medicines are ineffective, an allergist may suggest exposure therapy in the form of shots, which help people become less sensitive to their allergy triggers over time.—
Sarah Cottone,
Health,
16 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Counterproductive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/counterproductive. Accessed 1 May. 2025.
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