1
as in unsuccessful
not producing the desired result
an ineffective effort to reduce unemployment that only spurred inflation
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2
as in futile
producing no results
an ineffective medication that will be denied FDA approval
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of ineffective
Post-election research by the Human Rights Campaign shows a strong majority of Americans wants LGBTQ people to have anti-discrimination protections, most don’t want government interfering with gender-affirming care, and anti-trans attack ads this election were ultimately ineffective.
—
Donna Lieberman, New York Daily News, 19 Jan. 2025
On electric ovens, the ineffective heating could come down to a faulty heating element, which is pretty easy to replace yourself.
—Kamron Sanders, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Jan. 2025
Slot has repeatedly favoured playing Diaz rather than Nunez through the middle, but the Colombia international was ineffective there once again on Saturday.
—James Pearce, The Athletic, 18 Jan. 2025
And there are some who still criticize the hard-handed approach — which introduced surveillance equipment, dogs trained to subdue poachers, and military-grade weapons — as ineffective at addressing the root causes of poaching.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 16 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for ineffective 
Donna Lieberman, New York Daily News, 19 Jan. 2025
On electric ovens, the ineffective heating could come down to a faulty heating element, which is pretty easy to replace yourself.
—Kamron Sanders, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Jan. 2025
Slot has repeatedly favoured playing Diaz rather than Nunez through the middle, but the Colombia international was ineffective there once again on Saturday.
—James Pearce, The Athletic, 18 Jan. 2025
And there are some who still criticize the hard-handed approach — which introduced surveillance equipment, dogs trained to subdue poachers, and military-grade weapons — as ineffective at addressing the root causes of poaching.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 16 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for ineffective
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ineffective
Adjective
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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
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Early attempts that fell short reveal that most cellular love affairs are unsuccessful.—
Molly Herring,
WIRED,
26 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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In my experience, even attempting to get a price estimate beforehand is often futile.—
Michael Gfoeller And David H. Rundell,
Newsweek,
15 Jan. 2025
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Unnecessary pesticides are costly and often futile, and hey may kill beneficial insects and plants.—
Beth Botts,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Currently there are far too many neighborhoods lacking access to public transportation altogether, and what does exist is often inefficient.—
Selvena Brooks-Powers,
New York Daily News,
17 Jan. 2025
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Writing in the Wall Street Journal, Toyota’s Jack Hollis also called for the end of expensive and inefficient tax credits.—
Veronique de Rugy,
The Mercury News,
14 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Without that essential training to help surmount powerful systemic barriers, the kit would have been useless—and in that sense, the job is still woefully unfinished.—
Sheila McClear,
The Atlantic,
16 Jan. 2025
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Esoteric knowledge of the parks, essentially useless anywhere else, is suddenly incredibly useful.—
Darryn King,
Forbes,
13 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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But dismantling current restrictions would be counterproductive.—
Colin H. Kahl,
Foreign Affairs,
17 Jan. 2025
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While the intent may be to ensure quality, consistency or adherence to procedures, the effects can be counterproductive.—
Vikram Joshi,
Forbes,
17 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near ineffective
Cite this Entry
“Ineffective.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ineffective. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
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