counterproductive
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
- counterproductively adverb
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.
Or could the numbers he might need to put up to win the award be counterproductive to the Dodgers winning another World Series?
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026
StepChange said this was counterproductive, scaring people who can't, rather than won't, pay.
From BBC • Mar. 22, 2026
The result, even by strictly military measures, is counterproductive.
From Slate • Mar. 13, 2026
The 9-to-5 schedule may be counterproductive in today’s online and global work environment.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026
So they wheeze along, out-of-date and sometimes counterproductive, but a necessary consequence of our evolution.
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
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.
