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
In summary, remote teams are more prone to preventable but unproductive conflicts.
—
Carine Harb, Newsweek, 17 Jan. 2025
The Cubs got rid of several unproductive bench players and are still in the process of overhauling the bullpen.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 19 Jan. 2025
Restlessness, dissatisfaction or even unproductive attempts to reinsert themselves into their former workplace can result from this scenario.
—Michel Koopman, Forbes, 15 Jan. 2025
If measured by the number of bills signed into law, the 118th Congress was by far the most unproductive since at least the 1980s, according to data from public affairs firm Quorum.
—Andrew Solender, Axios, 30 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for unproductive 
Carine Harb, Newsweek, 17 Jan. 2025
The Cubs got rid of several unproductive bench players and are still in the process of overhauling the bullpen.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 19 Jan. 2025
Restlessness, dissatisfaction or even unproductive attempts to reinsert themselves into their former workplace can result from this scenario.
—Michel Koopman, Forbes, 15 Jan. 2025
If measured by the number of bills signed into law, the 118th Congress was by far the most unproductive since at least the 1980s, according to data from public affairs firm Quorum.
—Andrew Solender, Axios, 30 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for unproductive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unproductive
Adjective
-
The Anatolian mountains, where Ali tends to a barren garden, provide a sinister backdrop from which anything, not just a vagabond dropped as if from the sky, can suddenly appear.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
25 Jan. 2025
-
The streets are barren, save for occasional officials’ vehicles.—
Katie Kilkenny,
The Hollywood Reporter,
22 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Funding Nearly Halted Worldwide: State Department Putin Faces 'Really Big Problems' in Russian Economy: Report The U.S. has been sued in the past over the policy, though the lawsuits have been unsuccessful.—
Gordon G. Chang,
Newsweek,
26 Jan. 2025
-
Early attempts that fell short reveal that most cellular love affairs are unsuccessful.—
Molly Herring,
WIRED,
26 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
For the scenes that take place in the Human World, the crew is going to shoot in a desolate part of Iceland.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
27 Jan. 2025
-
What's more, the plane was completely encircled by massive screens that projected high-resolution videos of desolate Alaskan wilderness.—
Marco della Cava,
USA TODAY,
23 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
That drive went 74 yards in seven plays and was the answer the Buccaneers desperately needed after a mostly futile first half on offense.—
NBC News,
NBC News,
13 Jan. 2025
-
Multifactor authentication and other validation checks will become increasingly futile.—
Michael DeCesare,
Forbes,
13 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Like De Fontenay’s debut feature Mobile Homes, which followed an impoverished family scraping by in upstate New York, Sukkwan Island has a powerful immersive quality that makes up for some of its dramatic shortcomings, especially dialogue that can feel either stilted or too on-the-nose.—
Jordan Mintzer,
The Hollywood Reporter,
25 Jan. 2025
-
The states that voted for Trump also tend to be more dependent on those federal funds and have more impoverished areas.—
Peter Greene,
Forbes,
24 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
If that happens, the app will become instantly useless.—
Sabrina Moreno,
Axios,
17 Jan. 2025
-
Without updates, the TikTok app will eventually be rendered useless for creators.—
Veronica Ramirez,
Forbes,
11 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Lopetegui was eventually sacked on January 8, having failed to fix West Ham’s poor form.—
Roshane Thomas,
The Athletic,
5 Feb. 2025
-
Though Osbourne had a farewell tour set to begin in 2023, he was forced to cancel the shows due to poor health.—
Rosa Rahimi,
CNN,
5 Feb. 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
Thesaurus Entries Near unproductive
Cite this Entry
“Unproductive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unproductive. Accessed 9 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share