UNPRODUCTIVE Synonyms: 112 Similar and Opposite Words

unproductive

adjective

ˌən-prə-ˈdək-tiv

Definition of unproductive

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

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 Supporters say shifting unproductive cropland to clean energy will help California meet its 100% renewable power goal, while farm groups warn of losing valuable agricultural land. — Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026 But if instead its excess savings finance unproductive investment at home or drive high household consumption, asset bubbles, or persistent fiscal deficits in the economies of its trading partners, the whole system becomes increasingly shaky. — Michael Pettis, Foreign Affairs, 28 Aug. 2026 Analysts have warned that the structural remedies Bonta has in mind might be deal-breakers for Paramount, making any settlement talks ultimately unproductive. — Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2026 So many people who influence public opinion in the United States do so in a damaging and unproductive way because the problem of creeping authoritarianism doesn’t affect them personally. — Sarah Batcha, Daily News, 20 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unproductive

Recent Examples of Synonyms for unproductive

Adjective

Pollinators and birds have found a welcoming haven here, is a spot that was previously barren, rocky ground.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
The 80-kilometer stretch between Abu Dhabi and Dubai — a barren expanse of farms, factories, warehouses, and not much else — is now drawing multibillion-dollar property projects.

— Manal Albarakati, semafor.com, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of barren

Adjective

Along a desolate stretch of California desert highway, next to a ramshackle home, law enforcement officials on Wednesday dug for a second day in a search for bodies.

— Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026
With its fragile acoustic melodies, desolate lyrics, and spare, subtle studio accompaniment, Ride Lonesome is like Nick Drake’s mumble-folk masterpiece Bryter Layter as the work of a lovelorn Laurel Canyon soft-rock poet.

— Jon Dolan, Rolling Stone, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of desolate

Adjective

Before the court fight was launched, Edwin Benn, the arbitrator who oversaw 2023 contract negotiations between the city and FOP, warned the City Council that any attempt to undermine his award to the union would be futile.

— Sam Charles, Chicago Tribune, 24 Sep. 2026
It’s also brilliantly written as a futile, pathetic rebellion by men with zero agency or purpose in their own lives.

— Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of futile

Adjective

Three gunmen barged into a small house in an impoverished neighborhood in South Africa and opened fire on a group enjoying a party inside, killing at least 11 people including a pregnant woman, police and local authorities said Wednesday.

— ABC News, ABC News, 23 Sep. 2026
In 1693, Antoine Theroux, an impoverished 18-year-old boatman, was recruited to defend New France, as Canada was then known, against the Indigenous tribes and the British for King Louis XIV.

— Heller McAlpin, Christian Science Monitor, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of impoverished

Adjective

Recycling and anti-waste advocates counter that regulators weakened the law with exemptions and carve-outs that could undermine its environmental goals.

— Bloomberg, Mercury News, 1 June 2026
Shards of glass and ceramic, rusted metal, medical and bio-waste, syringes, cracked circuit boards, and broken electronics protruded everywhere.

— CNN Money, CNN Money, 15 Apr. 2026

Definition of waste

Browse Nearby Words

unprocessed

unproductive

unprofessional

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“Unproductive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unproductive. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of unproductive

adjective

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