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counterproductive

[ˌkaʊntərprəˈdʌktɪv]
adjective
contraproducente
1. Producing an effect opposite to that which was intended; having the opposite result of what was desired
Punishing the child too harshly may be counterproductive to your goal of improving behavior.
Punir a criança com muita severidade pode ser contraproducente para seu objetivo de melhorar o comportamento.
2. Tending to hinder rather than help the achievement of a desired goal
Staying up late studying is counterproductive when you have an exam the next morning.
Estudar até tarde é contraproducente quando você tem um exame na manhã seguinte.
Synonyms
ineffectiveunproductiveadversedetrimentalharmfuldisadvantageous
Antonyms
productivebeneficialhelpfuladvantageouseffective

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
contraproducente
Standard term used across Brazil
São Paulo
contraproducente
Widely used in business and formal contexts
Portugal
contraproducente
Standard European Portuguese usage

Related Idioms & Phrases

defeat the purpose
work against yourself
shooting yourself in the foot
ter o efeito contrário
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