counterproductive
44
6.8
- adjective
- /ˌkaʊntərprəˈdʌktɪv/
- To bring them together is not only artificial but may prove counterproductive.
- prove counterproductive
- counterproductive policies
- even counterproductive
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Watch on YouTubeAnd it's counterproductive for a bra to not support your breast.
- And it's counterproductive for a bra to not support your breast.
- He thought that was a counterproductive strategy.
- I think it's really counterproductive to not have a limit on what you're learning.
- I don't know what percentage of human effort is spent in counterproductive activity.
- That's counterproductive and it makes the whole situation more hostile.
- And some lying could be very harmful and very counterproductive in the end.
- Or we we pursue things we are unconsciously wanting that are counterproductive to what will make us happy.
- When you censor and suppress information, it's counterproductive.
- Then, if that is Russia's goal, then invading Ukraine could scarcely be more counterproductive.
- It feels like getting hit in the face with a brick, and that's almost always counterproductive.
- And I think the Israelis lashed out in ways that are counterproductive.
- And, and then the second one would be, you mentioned, you mentioned that it was counterproductive to have your glucose go so high.
- We've done something dumb or wrong or, you know, counterproductive or socially disapproved.
- It's like we might as well, it's, it's counterproductive to like never speak of it.
Examples
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Anything less allows the student to float aimlessly through the system and is counterproductive to lifelong learning.
Academic text (1993) -
Your lack of cooperation during these sessions is counterproductive to treatment.
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Phone calls to the schools were found to be counterproductive, and no more calls were made.
Academic text (1999) -
Destruction of North Vietnam would have been counterproductive in terms of the larger U.S. goal of containing China.
Academic text (1991) -
The approaches and strategies we have discussed above were often counterproductive to the objectives sought.
Academic text (1992) -
That's counterproductive and it makes the whole situation more hostile.
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Is there something inherently counterproductive about the way corporations are structured?
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But the BBC proved counterproductive: instead of bringing Adkins closer to his religion, it pushed him away.
Academic text (2011) -
Sending angry emails is often counterproductive and can escalate the situation further.
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The team's decision to ignore crucial feedback proved to be counterproductive to their project goals.
Synonyms
13
6.6
Acting in a way that hurts your own goals
3
6.8
Causing problems that make someone or something worse off
1
7.5
Making people do less work or get fewer results
Antonyms
How Counterproductive
Surface Forms
Morphology
counterproductive = productive (transparent) = counter + product + ive
The adjective 'productive' combined with the prefix 'counter-' yields a clear opposite/contrary meaning, which learners can infer.
Etymology
Counterproductive starts with counter-, meaning 'against', like in counterattack, and ends with productive, meaning 'making or producing'. So something that is counterproductive is working 'against' your goal and actually makes the problem worse.