Abortive — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /ə-ˈbȯr-tiv/ abor·tive

Meaning & Definition of Abortive

Abortive (adjective)

  1. prematurely born
  2. fruitless, unsuccessful
  3. imperfectly formed or developed

Abortive (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. producing no results

    "an abortive attempt to recover the sunken pirate ship"

    similar: barren, bootless, empty, fruitless, futile, ineffective, ineffectual, inefficacious, otiose, profitless, unavailing, unproductive, unprofitable, unsuccessful, useless, vain, in vain, no dice, not worth the candle, of no avail
    related: hollow, idle, meaningless, pointless, valueless, worthless, hopeless, impossible, lost, no-win, unattainable, inadequate, insufficient, lacking, wanting, counterproductive
    opposite: deadly, effective, effectual, efficacious, efficient, fruitful, potent, productive, profitable, successful, virtuous
    near: meaningful, worthwhile, adequate, sufficient, applicable, feasible, functional, practicable, practical, realizable, usable, workable

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Abortive

The most common words with a similar meaning to Abortive:

barren, bootless, empty, fruitless, futile, ineffective, ineffectual, inefficacious, otiose, profitless, unavailing, unproductive, unprofitable, unsuccessful, useless, vain, in vain, no dice, not worth the candle, of no avail

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Abortive

Words with the opposite meaning of Abortive:

deadly, effective, effectual, efficacious, efficient, fruitful, potent, productive, profitable, successful, virtuous

Related Words for Abortive

hollow, idle, meaningless, pointless, valueless, worthless, hopeless, impossible, lost, no-win, unattainable, inadequate, insufficient, lacking, wanting, counterproductive

Near Antonyms of Abortive

meaningful, worthwhile, adequate, sufficient, applicable, feasible, functional, practicable, practical, realizable, usable, workable

Word Forms of Abortive

Derived words: abortively (adverb), abortiveness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Abortive

Middle English abortyffe, borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French abbortif, borrowed from Latin abortīvus, from abortus, past participle of aborīrī "to miscarry, abort:1" + -īvus -ive

First known use: 15th century

Frequently Asked Questions about Abortive

What does "Abortive" mean?

"Abortive" means prematurely born. As an adjective, it is defined as: prematurely born.

What is another word for "Abortive"?

Other words for "Abortive" include barren, bootless, empty, fruitless, futile, ineffective, ineffectual and inefficacious. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Abortive" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Abortive"?

There are 36 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Abortive". Common alternatives include barren, bootless, empty, fruitless, futile, ineffective, ineffectual, inefficacious, otiose and profitless.

What is the opposite of "Abortive"?

Antonyms of "Abortive" include deadly, effective, effectual, efficacious, efficient, fruitful, potent and productive. Near antonyms include meaningful, worthwhile, adequate and sufficient.

How do you use "Abortive" in a sentence?

Examples of "Abortive" in a sentence: "an abortive attempt to recover the sunken pirate ship".

Is "Abortive" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Abortive" is an adjective.

How do you pronounce "Abortive"?

"Abortive" is pronounced /ə-ˈbȯr-tiv/ and divided into syllables as abor·tive.

What is the origin of the word "Abortive"?

"Abortive" comes from Middle English abortyffe, borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French abbortif, borrowed from Latin abortīvus, from abortus, past participle of aborīrī "to miscarry, abort:1" + -īvus -ive. First known use: 15th century.