Word: counterproductive (adjective)

Associations

"Counterproductive" means doing something that has the opposite effect of what you want. Instead of helping, it actually makes things worse or stops progress.

• If you try to study by playing loud music, it can be counterproductive because you can't concentrate.
• Getting angry during an argument can be counterproductive because it makes the problem bigger.
• Skipping sleep to work more can be counterproductive because you become tired and less effective.

A synonym is "ineffective," but "counterproductive" is stronger. "Ineffective" means not working well, while "counterproductive" means working against your goal.

Substitution

You can also say:

• harmful to your goal
• self-defeating
• backfiring

Using these changes the meaning slightly:

• "Self-defeating" focuses on causing failure to yourself.
• "Backfiring" often means unexpected bad results.

Deconstruction

"Counterproductive" has two parts:

• "Counter-" means against or opposite.
• "Productive" means making good results or progress.

Together, it means acting against producing good results.

Inquiry

• Can you think of a time when trying to solve a problem made it worse?
• What actions might be counterproductive when learning a new skill?
• How can knowing something is counterproductive help you change your behavior?