unsustainable

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "unsustainable" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to describe practices or systems that cannot be maintained over the long term without depleting resources or causing harm to the environment. Example: "The current agricultural practices are unsustainable and threaten the future of food security."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

It is unsustainable.

The New York Times

"The status of the African golden cat in the wild has never been rigorously assessed, but the species is increasingly threatened by habitat degradation, loss and fragmentation, and by unsustainable hunting," according to one study.

The Guardian

An initial report by Sir Roy warned this week that the current funding structure, supplemented by fare income of around £6bn a year, could be "unsustainable".

The Guardian

Yanis Varoufakis, its colourful finance minister, said last week that Greece "went from a Ponzi scheme of unsustainable borrowing before the crisis to a scheme of Ponzi austerity after it".

The Guardian

"Underneath the thick layers of greenwash many of these schemes are unsustainable, unviable and unpopular, but Gordon Brown wants to impose them from Whitehall irrespective of local opinion".

The Guardian

But we're seeing cracks in a clearly unsustainable legal situation and boats are still attempting to come, even if they are being turned back".

The Guardian

The present organisational and funding divides between the NHS and social care are absolutely unsustainable".

The Guardian

But the organisation has itself come under fire from critics who argue that it has forced countries such as Greece to adopt unsustainable debt repayment programmes, undermining their recovery.

The Guardian - Business

How does it happen that the top 1% owns almost as much wealth as the bottom 99%." "My conclusion is is that that type of economics is not only immoral is not only wrong it is unsustainable.

The Guardian

It is what the strategy group did not say that will worry the smaller teams, for whom the sport is largely unsustainable.

The Guardian - Sport

"I don't believe that there are any unsustainable fishing practices currently approved by federal or state legislation in Australia".

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a system or practice as "unsustainable", clearly specify which aspect is unsustainable (e.g. financially, environmentally, socially) to provide greater clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "unsustainable" as a vague criticism. Provide concrete reasons and evidence to support your claim, explaining why something is unsustainable rather than simply stating it.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "unsustainable" is as a descriptive adjective. It typically modifies nouns, indicating that something cannot be maintained at its current rate or level. Ludwig provides numerous examples of this usage in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

66%

Formal & Business

20%

Science

14%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The term "unsustainable" functions as an adjective denoting that something cannot be maintained at its current rate or level. According to Ludwig, it's grammatically correct and appears most frequently in News & Media and Formal & Business contexts. Its primary purpose is to express concern about the long-term viability of something. To ensure clarity, specify what aspect is unsustainable (e.g. financially, environmentally). Consider alternatives like "not viable" or "unmaintainable" to refine your message. Ludwig's analysis supports its widespread use and acceptability across diverse sources.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Unsustainable in the long term

Explicitly adds the time frame, emphasizing long-term consequences.

Not viable

Focuses on the lack of feasibility or practicality for long-term success.

Unsupportable

Highlights the inability to provide necessary resources or justification for continuation.

Unmaintainable

Emphasizes the difficulty in keeping something in its current state or condition.

Not tenable

Suggests that a situation or position is indefensible or cannot be reasonably maintained.

Self-defeating

Implies that the process will inevitably fail through its own internal flaws.

In the long run, unachievable

Highlights that objectives can't be maintained for a long duration of time.

Ultimately doomed

Stresses the inevitable failure or collapse of a system or practice.

Ecologically damaging

Highlights environmental consequences and long-term implications.

Financially ruinous

Focuses specifically on the negative financial consequences of a situation.

FAQs

How can I use "unsustainable" in a sentence?

You can use "unsustainable" to describe practices or systems that cannot be maintained over time, such as "The current rate of resource consumption is unsustainable".

What's a good alternative to using the word "unsustainable"?

Depending on the context, alternatives to "unsustainable" include "not viable", "unsupportable", or "unmaintainable".

Is it correct to say something is "highly unsustainable"?

While grammatically correct, using "highly unsustainable" can be redundant. Consider using a stronger adjective or rephrasing to emphasize the severity, such as "completely unsustainable" or "patently unsustainable".

What makes a practice or system "unsustainable"?

A practice or system is considered "unsustainable" if it depletes resources faster than they can be replenished, causes irreversible damage to the environment, or creates social or economic inequalities that cannot be maintained in the long term.