counterproductive

[koun-ter-pruh-duhk-tiv]

adjective

1. thwarting the achievement of an intended goal; tending to defeat one's purpose.

   Living on credit while trying to save money is counterproductive.

counterproductive

/ ˌkaʊntəprəˈdʌktɪv /

adjective

1. tending to hinder or act against the achievement of an aim

Other Word Forms

• counterproductively adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of counterproductive¹

First recorded in 1960–65; counter- + productive

Example Sentences

Homework has long been a topic of debate, but in 2025 it is facing an existential crisis: Has artificial intelligence and its instant answers made it pointless or even counterproductive?

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As he boarded the plane to Israel, Rubio said annexation would be "counterproductive" and "threatening" for the peace deal - reiterating US opposition to annexation.

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"We view this step as being entirely counterproductive, including in terms of signalling the need to achieve meaningful negotiated solutions to the Ukrainian conflict," Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told a weekly briefing.

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"But at this time, it's something that we...think might be counterproductive," he said.

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He announced that he would immediately halt all counter-narcotics aid payments to Colombia — which seems counterproductive — and, needless to say, he also vowed to raise tariffs.

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Related Words

• fruitless 
• futile 
• hopeless 
• idle 
• impractical 
• incompetent 
• ineffective 
• ineffectual 
• inoperative 
• meaningless 
• pointless 
• stupid 
• unproductive 
• unworkable 
• worthless