counterproductive

/ˌkaʊntəpɹəˈdʌktɪv/

//ˌkaʊntəpɹəˈdʌktɪv// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"counterproductive" is a 17-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“counterproductive” has 26 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #27,100. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#27,100
frequency rank, English
5,599
“C” headwords
26
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - More of a hindrance than a help.

Corpus desk

Index EN-counterproductive · counterproductive · English

counterproductive · rank #27,100 · 26 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #27,100
  • LEN-MEGA 17 letters
  • VOW-7 7 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 26 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 5,599
  • PHOTO-FINISH cools

Nearest frequency peer: cools (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Frequency neighbourhood for “counterproductive”

Lower corpus rank = more everyday usage (inverted bar length for readability)

corpus weight

What this shows Bars show where “counterproductive” sits against the nearest ranked English headwords in the FrequencyWords band, not a reprint of letter-browse containment.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for counterproductive
PropertyValue
Headwordcounterproductive
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˌkaʊntəpɹəˈdʌktɪv/
Letters17
Frequency rank#27,100
Misspellings tracked26
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “counterproductive” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).counterproductivelands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “cools” (#27,099), “convoluted” (#27,098), “Cowell” (#27,102). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 26 spelling variants around counterproductive (IPA /ˌkaʊntəpɹəˈdʌktɪv/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #27,100 among 5,599 “C” headwords. Dominant gloss: "More of a hindrance than a help.".

Our generated misspelling index lists 26 likely wrong-spelling variants for counterproductive, with forms such as "ccounterproductive", "conuterproductive", and "counetrproductive". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: From counter- + productive. The correct English form is counterproductive, spelled C-O-U-N-T-E-R-P-R-O-D-U-C-T-I-V-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    More of a hindrance than a help.

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

These source excerpts show how counterproductive appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. It's most likely that these kinds of cuts to service frequencies, train formations, and service start and finish times would cost more in revenue than they save in cost and would therefore be counterproductive.

Etymology

From counter- + productive.

Antonyms

productive

This word in other languages

contraproducente(Español)contreproductif(Français)kontraproduktiv(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ccounterproductive
  • conuterproductive
  • counetrproductive
  • counnterproductive
  • counteprroductive
  • counterporductive
  • counterpproductive
  • counterprdouctive
  • counterprodcutive
  • counterprodductive
  • counterproducctive
  • counterproducitve
  • counterproductiev
  • counterproductivve
  • counterproducttive
  • counterproductvie
  • counterprodutcive
  • counterproudctive
  • counterprroductive
  • counterrpoductive
  • counterrproductive
  • countreproductive
  • countterproductive
  • coutnerproductive
  • cuonterproductive
  • ocunterproductive

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of counterproductive - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

ccounterproductive1conuterproductive2counetrproductive2counnterproductive1counteprroductive2counterporductive2counterpproductive1counterprdouctive2
Edit distance from "counterproductive"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "counterproductive"?
"counterproductive" is spelled C-O-U-N-T-E-R-P-R-O-D-U-C-T-I-V-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌkaʊntəpɹəˈdʌktɪv/.
What does "counterproductive" mean?
As an adjective, "counterproductive" means: More of a hindrance than a help.
What are common misspellings of "counterproductive"?
Common misspellings include "ccounterproductive", "conuterproductive", "counetrproductive", "counnterproductive", "counteprroductive". The correct spelling is "counterproductive".
How do you pronounce "counterproductive"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "counterproductive" is /ˌkaʊntəpɹəˈdʌktɪv/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "counterproductive"?
From counter- + productive. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "counterproductive", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 17 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

multidisciplinary#26,894industrialization#26,470intergovernmental#25,424commercialization#29,605

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (26 here; floor ≥5).

Northamptonshire26 variantsincomprehensible26 variantsconstitutionality26 variantshypersensitivity26 variants

What to do next

You've looked up "counterproductive". Here's where to go from here.

  • 26 edit-distance misspelling variants are generated for spell-check research on this headword. See variants
  • Usage frequency rank #27,100 among English headwords in this corpus. Corpus statistics
  • Browse more English words in the "C" letter cohort. C–Z browse
  • PlainSpell rotates a curated Word of the Day from the English corpus, a passive way to discover vocabulary. Word of the Day

PlainSpell is a reference corpus, not spelling advice. Verify unusual forms in context.

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list