unproductive

adjective

un·​pro·​duc·​tive ˌən-prə-ˈdək-tiv 

-prō-

: not effective in bringing something about : not yielding results, benefits, or profits : not productive

unproductive meetings

unproductive strategies

unproductive workers

Synonyms

• barren
• bony
• boney
• dead
• desolate
• hardscrabble
• impoverished
• infertile
• poor
• stark
• unfertile
• waste

Examples of unproductive in a Sentence

crop rotation had prevented the farmland from becoming unproductive

her attempts to write a novel have been unproductive

Recent Examples on the Web

These aren’t productivity goals but goals to be unproductive. —Discover Magazine, 7 Nov. 2024

Political discussions at work can often lead to unproductive outcomes, fostering division and hostility among colleagues. —Jason Walker, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024

But some of those allusions to unproductive mornings and squinting unpreparedness belie an unease with the endeavor of book reviewing itself. —Sloane Crosley, The New Yorker, 1 Nov. 2024

Even missing just a few hours of sleep can turn the most stable person into a grumpy, unproductive mess the next day. —Valentina Bottoni, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1676, in the meaning defined above