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Definition of abortive : 1. A fruitless effort or issue.
2. A medicine to which is attributed the property of causing abortion.
3. Causing abortion; as, abortive medicines.
4. Coming to naught; failing in its effect; miscarrying; fruitless; unsuccessful; as, an abortive attempt.
5. Cutting short; as, abortive treatment of typhoid fever.
6. Imperfectly formed or developed; rudimentary; sterile; as, an abortive organ, stamen, ovule, etc.
7. Made from the skin of a still- born animal; as, abortive vellum.
8. Produced by abortion; born prematurely; as, an abortive child.
9. Rendering fruitless or ineffectual.
10. That which is born or brought forth prematurely; an abortion.

Synonyms:

null, unprofitable, visionary, unserviceable, stillborn, nugatory, empty, unavailing, vapid, baseless, worthless, shadowy, unimportant, profitless, deceitful, unreal, idle, unsubstantial, trivial, inconstant, trifling, unfruitful, delusive, bootless, unsatisfying

frustrated, foiled, useless, ineffectual, unsuccessful, pointless, fruitless, thwarted, futile, failed, vain

failing, study atfutile

Usage examples:

• Therefore, in choosing the ships, should any of the most advantageous properties be wanting, and the necessary room in them, be in any degree diminished, for less important purposes, such a step would be laying a foundation for rendering the undertaking abortive in the first instance. - "A Voyage Towards the South Pole and Round the World, Volume 1", James Cook.
• Behold then how abortive some fruits are, Which at the first most promising appear. - "The Works of John Bunyan Volume 3", John Bunyan.
• But to effect this must always be a most difficult, and, every friend to humanity will hope, an abortive attempt. - "An Essay on the Principle of Population", Thomas Malthus.