counterproductive
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of counterproductive
First recorded in 1960–65; counter- + productive
Explanation
Something that does the opposite of what you intend is counterproductive. Staying up all night to study for that history test will be counterproductive — you'll be so tired that you won't remember any of the information you reviewed. Putting off your homework until tomorrow may seem like a good strategy now, but it may be counterproductive if you have to rush to get it done. On a larger scale, when governments give small tax breaks in an attempt to stimulate the economy, it's often counterproductive, since people may decide to save that extra money instead of spending it. Counterproductive things don't do what you think they will — in fact, they make it much harder to achieve your goals.
Vocabulary lists containing counterproductive
Nothing But the Truth
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Words with 15 or More Letters, List 3
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Employment, List 2
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But Google's Karen Massin warns of "regulatory complexity" that could prove counterproductive, and "risks confusing the people these rules are meant to help".
From Barron's ● Jul. 28, 2026
Having decided to target the youth market to offer the best chance of future success, it would be counterproductive to hold back someone already in their ranks, so Gabriel's call-up for Norway makes perfect sense.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
In some ways, the war to date has been counterproductive.
From Slate ● Jul. 15, 2026
And that remains his position, his representative said: Carvalho wants to avoid counterproductive acrimony.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 28, 2026
Although colorblind approaches to addressing the problems of poor people of color often seem pragmatic in the short run, in the long run they are counterproductive.
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
