infertile

adjective

(ˈ)in-ˈfər-tᵊl How to pronounce infertile (audio)
Definition of infertilenext
1
as in sterile
not able to produce fruit or offspring an infertile cow is of limited use to a farmer

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in barren
producing inferior or only a small amount of vegetation only parched, infertile fields remained after months of drought

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of infertile To make the science as simple as possible, a 2018 study found that rats that were fed TPO became infertile among a slew of other health issues. — Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 21 Aug. 2026 The fact that [Ruben] is infertile and what that means to his manhood, and his ability to be masculine and reproduce and have a son. — Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 29 May 2026 Women of ideal reproductive age who are infertile, while others in their 40s have no problem conceiving. — Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 20 May 2026 In the year 2027 (which is somehow just one year from now, please stop, passage of time), Children of Men imagines a world where women have been infertile for years, dooming humanity to a slow extinction. — Grace Dean, Space.com, 2 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for infertile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for infertile
  1. sterile
  2. barren
  3. desolate
  4. impoverished
  5. poor
  6. unfertile
Adjective
  • The government has a longstanding program to breed sterile male flies and drop swarms of them from planes to mate with wild females, causing the flies to die out.
    — Susan Montoya Bryan, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2026
  • The 46-year-old was ushered into a sterile room for her appointment, her phone lit up with a text.
    — Jesse Bedayn, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of sterile
Adjective
  • These bright spots in an otherwise barren season for curve representation weren’t necessarily novel.
    — Joe Bobowicz, Vogue, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Research into turning Martian dust into material that supports plant growth highlights how much work remains to make barren planetary materials useful for agriculture.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of barren
Adjective
  • The road that leads to the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women is long and desolate.
    — Anja Aronowsky Cronberg, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2026
  • As filmmakers, they were drawn to the unexpected beauty of the desolate, postindustrial landscape.
    — Kim Velsey, Curbed, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of desolate
Adjective
  • The impoverished Reds work as slave labor in the mines of Mars, while the super-strong Golds rule the solar system and war on each other.
    — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Prosecutors accuse him of participating in schemes to divert hundreds of millions of dollars from Venezuelan government programs intended to provide housing, food and other necessities to the country’s impoverished population.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of impoverished
Adjective
  • Disease that has spread to those organs is associated with poorer treatment outcomes.
    — Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2026
  • They were frustrated with teacher shortages and poor conditions at schools, including overcrowded classrooms and dilapidated buildings.
    — James Cirrone , Brittany Miller, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of poor
Adjective
  • Movies based on videogames, once unfertile IP for Hollywood at the box office, have blossomed in recent years.
    — Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 9 June 2025
Definition of unfertile

Browse Nearby Words

infers
infertile
infertility
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Cite this Entry

“Infertile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/infertile. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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