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.
There are also psychological and behavioral reasons why incessant checking of your portfolio occurs — and why it can be counterproductive.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 9, 2026
"If you're an athlete and you lose muscle mass, that may be very counterproductive for what you're trying to achieve," he said.
From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2026
Generative AI can synthesize and extrapolate in valuable ways, but it also can produce wrong answers or take on tasks that educators would see as inappropriate or counterproductive — such as writing papers for students.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2026
In Germany’s case, the intensification of Russia’s hybrid warfare has already shown itself to be counterproductive, said Norbert Röttgen, a prominent lawmaker from the governing CDU party.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 31, 2026
And this pressure by the Black Tennis Association and the rest of the world is counterproductive.
From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane
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.
