1
as in barren
producing inferior or only a small amount of vegetation
crop rotation had prevented the farmland from becoming unproductive
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in unsuccessful
producing no results
her attempts to write a novel have been unproductive
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unproductive
Blueberries Blueberry plants become weak and unproductive if they’re not pruned from time to time in winter.
—
Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Feb. 2026
That shift was positive for tribal leaders, who had unproductive relationships with the state after Noem was banned from tribal lands, Lengkeek said.
—Molly Wetsch, South Dakota News Watch, 17 Jan. 2026
The human brain is highly susceptible to often unproductive mind-wandering, and modern technology has only made the problem worse.
—Harvard Business Review, 7 Jan. 2026
Unless societies can chart a path between recognizing human freedom and acknowledging the peril of depopulation, the conversation about low fertility will be, at best, unproductive and, at worst, actively dangerous for individual rights.
—Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unproductive
Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Feb. 2026
That shift was positive for tribal leaders, who had unproductive relationships with the state after Noem was banned from tribal lands, Lengkeek said.
—Molly Wetsch, South Dakota News Watch, 17 Jan. 2026
The human brain is highly susceptible to often unproductive mind-wandering, and modern technology has only made the problem worse.
—Harvard Business Review, 7 Jan. 2026
Unless societies can chart a path between recognizing human freedom and acknowledging the peril of depopulation, the conversation about low fertility will be, at best, unproductive and, at worst, actively dangerous for individual rights.
—Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unproductive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unproductive
Adjective
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But recreational hikes still turn into instructional moments for Krebs, who stands maybe 5 feet 3 inches and could make a living off 100 barren miles of lava rock and lizards.—
Andrew McKean,
Outdoor Life,
19 Mar. 2026
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Don’t trample or pick the flowers and stay on the paths because even barren ground could have seeds germinating beneath.—
Jessie Schiewe,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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An attempt to get a comment from Scrooge Sul about the allegations was unsuccessful.—
Jesse Sarles,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
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The man had surgical hardware in his right ankle but attempts to identify him from the serial numbers were unsuccessful, according to the medical examiner’s office.—
Frederick Melo,
Twin Cities,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Overall, the museum’s collection which once held 150,000 artifacts attributed to periods of Sudanese history as far back as the Stone Age has now been left desolate.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
17 Mar. 2026
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His work can be gritty, like an act of discovery, as his camera pops in and out of shadows, through desolate, post-apocalyptic shops and office buildings.—
Heide Janssen,
Oc Register,
15 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Even with the spotlight, MeÌndez said the debate feels futile.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
14 Mar. 2026
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Even subtle futile cycles – processes in which molecules are repeatedly built and broken down – consume energy and generate heat.—
Claudio Villanueva,
The Conversation,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The Indian film follows an impoverished elderly couple whose developmentally disabled son has become a source of shame in their village.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
26 Mar. 2026
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The backstory The program began more than 60 years ago and typically provides medical aid to impoverished communities and rural, underserved areas — often in lower-resource countries like Angola, Guatemala and Venezuela but in some high-income countries as well.—
Gabrielle Emanuel,
NPR,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The inscription would have sent enemies quite an impression as it was burned into the stone with molten lead, as if daring the attackers to continue their useless advance, Live Science continues.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Mar. 2026
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Electronics were useless to her.—
Alex Morris,
Rolling Stone,
19 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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And that 44-point home victory was with Brandon Miller having a poor shooting night (5 of 15, 13 points).—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
25 Mar. 2026
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The Dolphins’ struggles during the last decade-plus with Ross signing the checks was a result of poor leadership at the top of the football operations side.—
Omar Kelly,
Miami Herald,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Breakfast is served in the Heritage Room, and is never too copious, in line with the hotel's anti-waste policy.—
Maddalena Fossati,
Condé Nast Traveler,
6 Feb. 2026
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Local laws and supplier audits The OECD has called on Shein to publish further public information about its compliance with France’s anti-waste law (AGEC), which aims to move businesses toward greater circularity.—
Meghan Hall,
Sourcing Journal,
1 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unproductive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unproductive. Accessed 27 Mar. 2026.
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