counterproductive

/ˌkaʊntəprəˈdʌktɪv/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌkaʊntərprəˈdʌktɪv/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌkau̇n-tər-prə-ˈdək-tiv/ (ame, mw)

counterproductive — adjective

  • counterproductivepositive
  • more counterproductivecomparative
  • most counterproductivesuperlative

1. causing an action, plan, or decision to create a worse result instead of helping

1.形容詞C1
釋義

causing an action, plan, or decision to create a worse result instead of helping you reach the goal you wanted

例句

Posting angry replies online was counterproductive and brought more criticism to Ayana.

pattern: be counterproductive after a reaction

The coach called Karim's extra shouting counterproductive after the players grew tense.

pattern: call something counterproductive

同義詞
  • self-defeating

    stresses that the action works against the person's own aim

  • harmful

    broader and less goal-focused; something harmful may damage people or things without reversing a plan

  • unhelpful

    weaker; something unhelpful may fail to improve a situation without actively making it worse

反義詞
  • effective

    achieves the result that was intended

  • helpful

    gives useful support or improvement

  • productive

    creates useful results instead of blocking them

文法句型

counterproductive + noun

be counterproductive

prove counterproductive

用法筆記

Often describes actions, rules, or strategies that were meant to solve a problem. Common with be, seem, or prove when later results show the plan backfired.

常見錯誤

❌The medicine was counterproductive because it did not work very well.
✅The medicine was ineffective because it did not work very well.
💡'counterproductive' means it made the situation worse, not simply that it failed to help.
❌The long meeting was counterproductive because nobody learned anything new.
✅The long meeting was unproductive because nobody learned anything new.
💡'counterproductive' suggests the meeting caused extra problems or moved people backward, not just that no progress was made.