abortive
adjective/əˈbɔːtɪv/
/əˈbɔːrtɪv/
(formal)- (of an action) not successful; failed synonym unsuccessful
- an abortive military coup
- abortive attempts to divert the course of the river
Extra ExamplesTopics Difficulty and failurec2- He tried to set up a meeting but his efforts proved abortive.
- An attempted reform of the organization proved largely abortive.
- The companies were involved in an abortive takeover battle.
- There was an abortive attempt to overthrow the government.
Oxford Collocations DictionaryAbortive is used with these nouns:- attempt
- coup
Word OriginMiddle English (as a noun denoting a stillborn child or animal): via Old French from Latin abortivus, from aboriri ‘miscarry’, from ab- ‘away, from’ + oriri ‘be born’.
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abortive