UNPRODUCTIVE: Synonyms and Related Words. What is Another Word for UNPRODUCTIVE?

Need another word that means the same as “unproductive”? Find 25 synonyms and 30 related words for “unproductive” in this overview.

The synonyms of “Unproductive” are: sterile, barren, infertile, uncultivatable, unfruitful, poor, lifeless, lean, arid, fruitless, futile, vain, idle, useless, worthless, valueless, pointless, ineffective, ineffectual, to no effect, impotent, inefficacious, unprofitable, unremunerative, unrewarding

Unproductive as an Adjective

Definitions of "Unproductive" as an adjective

According to the Oxford Dictionary of English, “unproductive” as an adjective can have the following definitions:

• Not producing or capable of producing.
• Not producing desired results.
• Not producing or able to produce large amounts of goods, crops, or other commodities.
• (of an activity or period) not achieving much; not very useful.

Synonyms of "Unproductive" as an adjective (25 Words)

arid	Lacking vitality or spirit; lifeless-C.J.Rolo. A technically perfect but arid performance of the sonata.
barren	Showing no results or achievements; unproductive. The sports hall turned out to be a rather barren concrete building.
fruitless	Unproductive of success. A banana leaf from a fruitless palm.
futile	Producing no result or effect. Futile years after her artistic peak.
idle	(especially of a threat or boast) without foundation. Idle hands.
impotent	Lacking power or ability- Freeman J.Dyson. Felt impotent rage.
ineffective	Lacking in power or forcefulness. Ineffective legislation.
ineffectual	Lacking in power or forcefulness. She was neglectful and ineffectual as a parent.
inefficacious	Lacking the power to produce a desired effect. Laws that are inefficacious in stopping crime.
infertile	Incapable of reproducing. Barren and infertile soils.
lean	Containing little excess. A lean budget.
lifeless	Lacking vigour, vitality, or excitement. A lifeless planet.
pointless	Not having a point especially a sharp point. It s pointless to plan too far ahead.
poor	(of a place) inhabited by people with little money. A poor land.
sterile	Deficient in originality or creativity; lacking powers of invention. A sterile needle and syringes.
to no effect	Quantifier; used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns for indicating a complete or almost complete lack or zero quantity of.
uncultivatable	Not suitable for cultivation or tilling.
unfruitful	Not fruitful; not conducive to abundant production. Single trees are often unfruitful and mixed planting is desirable.
unprofitable	(of a business or activity) not yielding profit or financial gain. The mines became increasingly unprofitable.
unremunerative	Bringing little or no profit or income. An unremunerative occupation.
unrewarding	Not rewarding or satisfying. It was dull unrewarding work.
useless	Having no beneficial use or incapable of functioning usefully. A piece of useless knowledge.
vain	Characteristic of false pride; having an exaggerated sense of self-importance. A vain woman with a streak of snobbery.
valueless	Having no value; worthless. Cherished but valueless heirlooms.
worthless	Morally reprehensible. Joan had been deserted by a worthless husband.

Usage Examples of "Unproductive" as an adjective

• The talks between labor and management were unproductive.
• Elimination of high-cost or unproductive industries.
• Unproductive land must be reforested.
• Unproductive meetings.

Associations of "Unproductive" (30 Words)

abortive	Causing or resulting in abortion. An abortive revolt.
arid	Lacking sufficient water or rainfall. The arid plains north of Cape Town.
barren	A barren tract or tracts of land. The flat feels too tidy almost barren.
bootless	(of a task or undertaking) ineffectual; useless. Remonstrating with him seems ever to have been a bootless task.
counterproductive	Having the opposite of the desired effect. Child experts fear the Executive s plans may prove counterproductive.
desolate	Cause extensive destruction or ruin utterly. A low desolate wail.
devoid	Entirely lacking or free from. Lisa kept her voice devoid of emotion.
expanse	A wide continuous area of something. The moth has a wing expanse of 20 to 24 mm.
fruitless	Unproductive of success. A fruitless search.
futile	Unproductive of success. Futile years after her artistic peak.
impotence	Inability to take effective action; helplessness. Few men suffering from impotence feel confident enough to ask their GP for advice.
ineffective	Not producing any significant or desired effect. Ineffective legislation.
ineffectual	Lacking in power or forcefulness. The therapy was ineffectual.
infertile	(of a person, animal, or plant) unable to reproduce itself; unable to have young. Barren and infertile soils.
infertility	The state of being unable to produce offspring; in a woman it is an inability to conceive; in a man it is an inability to impregnate. Chlamydia can cause infertility in women.
interbreed	Breed animals or plants using parents of different races and varieties. These species do not interbreed.
miscarriage	An unsuccessful outcome of something planned. The miscarriage of the project.
powerless	Without ability, influence, or power. Troops were powerless to stop last night s shooting.
pregnant	Carrying developing offspring within the body or being about to produce new life. A development pregnant with implications.
stark	Severely simple. The ridge formed a stark silhouette against the sky.
sterile	Free from bacteria or other living microorganisms; totally clean. A sterile ideology lacking in originality.
sterility	(of non-living objects) the state of being free of pathogenic organisms. The disease can cause sterility in males.
stillborn	(of a proposal or plan) having failed to develop or be realized. A stillborn baby.
unavailable	Not available or accessible or at hand. His secretary said he was unavailable for comment.
unavailing	Producing no result or effect. Their efforts were unavailing.
unfruitful	Not producing fruit or crops; unfertile. Single trees are often unfruitful and mixed planting is desirable.
unsuccessful	Failing to accomplish an intended result. An unsuccessful attempt to enter Parliament.
useless	Not fulfilling or not expected to achieve the intended purpose or desired outcome. He was useless at football.
vain	Characteristic of false pride; having an exaggerated sense of self-importance. Vain about her clothes.
windswept	(of a place) exposed to strong winds. The windswept moors.