abortive
/ə'bɔ:tiv/
Definition
- Adjective:
- Failing to achieve its intended purpose; unsuccessful; fruitless: Describes an action, plan, or effort that is cut short or ends in failure before it can be completed or succeed.
- (Biology/Medicine) Failing to develop fully; rudimentary: Describes something that is not fully formed or developed.
Usage and Examples
- General Usage (Unsuccessful):
- The rescue mission was abortive due to the sudden storm.
- After several abortive attempts to start the business, they finally succeeded.
- Biological/Medical Usage (Underdeveloped):
- The botanist studied the abortive seeds that failed to germinate.
- (Technical) An abortive infection is one where the virus does not complete its replication cycle.
Advanced Usage and Nuances
- Often carries a connotation of being prematurely ended or doomed from the start.
- Can describe political or military actions: .
- In formal or literary contexts, it can imply something that is imperfectly formed or has not reached maturity.
Variants and Related Words
- Abort (verb): To end something prematurely.
- They had to abort the launch.
- Abortion (noun): The act of ending something prematurely; in medical terms, the termination of a pregnancy.
- (Figurative) The project was an abortion of justice.
- Abortively (adverb): In an abortive manner.
- The campaign ended abortively.
Synonyms
- Unsuccessful
- Failed
- Fruitless
- Vain
- Futile
- Stillborn (especially for plans or ideas)
Antonyms
- Successful
- Fruitful
- Effective
- Productive
Idioms and Common Phrases
- To prove abortive: To end in failure.
- All negotiations proved abortive.
- An abortive effort: A try that does not succeed.
- It was an abortive effort to reconcile the two parties.
Adjective
-
failing to accomplish an intended result
-
an abortive revolt
-
a stillborn plot to assassinate the President
-
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