as in sterile
not able to produce fruit or offspring
disappointed to discover that the mare was unfruitful
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Recent Examples of unfruitful
Once home to more than 1,100 residents and boasting its own postal service, according to Visit Keweenaw, the unfruitful mine then saw the community dwindle, only a few historic homes now remaining.
—
Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 31 Oct. 2025
That’s one investment that has proved rather unfruitful so far, although things appear to be looking up for WBD investors currently with company on the auction block and simultaneously preparing to separate its cable operations and studios/streaming into to companies.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 29 Oct. 2025
Homosexual life, by contrast, is one of unfruitful stasis and sterile repetition.
—Garth Greenwell, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
Trump too has aired frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin in recent weeks as ceasefire talks have been unfruitful.
—The Hill Staff, The Hill, 5 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for unfruitful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unfruitful
Adjective
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This makes your home feel intentional and personal instead of sterile and unoriginal.—
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Many japonica camellias, in the manner of other botanical hybrids, are sterile with their yellow, thread-like stamens and stigmas either absent or invisible.—
Adjective
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In the 19th century, guano miners razed the place, removing most of the topsoil and leaving behind barren rock.—
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The next two teams on this list find themselves in eerily similar situations, from barren rosters to enviable cap space to hope at the quarterback position.—
Adjective
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Navigating the city’s shelter system alone can be dispiriting and fruitless.—
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After five fruitless drives, Cameron Dicker's 30-yard field goal with 3 seconds left in the second quarter pulled the Chargers to 10-3 at halftime.—
Cite this Entry
“Unfruitful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unfruitful. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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