diff --git a/scripts/sync_translations.py b/scripts/sync_translations.py
index 9322d944..5c69e645 100644
--- a/scripts/sync_translations.py
+++ b/scripts/sync_translations.py
@@ -21,7 +21,8 @@
             data = json.load(f)
         for fid, samples in data.items():
             if samples:
-                samples = [s for s in samples if s]  # s may be None
+                samples = [s.strip() for s in samples 
+                           if s and s.strip() != "[UNUSED]"]  # s may be None
                 with open(f"{locale}/{lang}/{fid}", "w") as f:
                     f.write("\n".join(sorted(samples)))
 
@@ -30,7 +31,8 @@
             data = json.load(f)
         for fid, samples in data.items():
             if samples:
-                samples = [s for s in samples if s]  # s may be None
+                samples = [s.strip() for s in samples 
+                           if s and s.strip() != "[UNUSED]"]  # s may be None
                 with open(f"{locale}/{lang}/{fid}", "w") as f:
                     f.write("\n".join(sorted(samples)))
 
@@ -39,7 +41,8 @@
             data = json.load(f)
         for fid, samples in data.items():
             if samples:
-                samples = [s for s in samples if s]  # s may be None
+                samples = [s.strip() for s in samples 
+                           if s and s.strip() != "[UNUSED]"]  # s may be None
                 with open(f"{locale}/{lang}/{fid}", "w") as f:
                     f.write("\n".join(sorted(samples)))
 
@@ -48,7 +51,8 @@
             data = json.load(f)
         for fid, samples in data.items():
             if samples:
-                samples = [s for s in samples if s]  # s may be None
+                samples = [s.strip() for s in samples 
+                           if s and s.strip() != "[UNUSED]"]  # s may be None
                 with open(f"{locale}/{lang}/{fid}", "w") as f:
                     f.write("\n".join(sorted(samples)))