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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ineffective
What remains a mystery is why Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has been so ineffective on offense.
—
Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2025
Nissan leadership has been ineffective for more than two decades.
—Mark Phelan, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2025
Continue reading … 'NOT PLAYING NICE' – David Hogg donates $100K to DCCC after plan to primary 'ineffective' Democrats ignited civil war in party.
—FOXNews.com, 21 Apr. 2025
The White House takes aim at the Biden administration and Democrats’ handling of the pandemic, arguing lockdowns were detrimental, masks were ineffective, and the 6-foot distance rule was arbitrarily made up by Fauci.
—Elaine Mallon, The Washington Examiner, 18 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ineffective
Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2025
Nissan leadership has been ineffective for more than two decades.
—Mark Phelan, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2025
Continue reading … 'NOT PLAYING NICE' – David Hogg donates $100K to DCCC after plan to primary 'ineffective' Democrats ignited civil war in party.
—FOXNews.com, 21 Apr. 2025
The White House takes aim at the Biden administration and Democrats’ handling of the pandemic, arguing lockdowns were detrimental, masks were ineffective, and the 6-foot distance rule was arbitrarily made up by Fauci.
—Elaine Mallon, The Washington Examiner, 18 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ineffective
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ineffective
Adjective
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But the Supreme Court denied the court order and requests to President Donald Trump from family, supporters and her attorney were unsuccessful.—
Nicole Acosta,
People.com,
19 Apr. 2025
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Meanwhile, Min and Chris’ closest friends, Kelly Marie Tran’s Angela, a research scientist, and Lily Gladstone’s Lee, an Indigenous community organizer, have been struggling to conceive a child; Lee has just found out that her second round of IVF has been unsuccessful.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Another recommendation: Attacking Trump’s character, however abhorrent critics may find it, is futile.—
Garry Kasparov,
The Atlantic,
17 Apr. 2025
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Regardless, returning him would be futile, said the president’s aides, as his ultimate fate would be imprisonment, in the United States or elsewhere.—
Michael Wilner,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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More importantly, Brunson is coming off a 34-point night in Game 1 despite a rare inefficient shooting night.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Apr. 2025
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Hardware orders in late March reached new records, indicating operators are swapping out inefficient rigs rather than capitulating.—
Dave Birnbaum,
Forbes.com,
21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Once the borer has entered the stem, insecticides are useless.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
23 Apr. 2025
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Though small, the defect made the telescope mostly useless to astronomers.—
Josh Dinner,
Space.com,
22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Some constitutional scholars still maintain that hair-on-fire rhetoric about the demise of the republic is counterproductive.—
Andrew Marantz,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2025
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Peter Ricci, director of the hospitality and tourism management program at Florida Atlantic University’s College of Business, predicted the measure, if passed would be counterproductive.—
David Lyons,
Sun Sentinel,
24 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ineffective.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ineffective. Accessed 3 May. 2025.
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