profitable

adjective

prof·​it·​able ˈprä-fə-tə-bəl How to pronounce profitable (audio)
ˈpräf-tə-bəl
Synonyms of profitablenext
: affording profits : yielding advantageous returns or results
profitability
ˌprä-fə-tə-ˈbi-lə-tē How to pronounce profitable (audio)
noun
profitableness
ˈprä-fə-tə-bəl-nəs How to pronounce profitable (audio)
noun
profitably
ˈprä-fə-tə-blē How to pronounce profitable (audio)
adverb

Synonyms of profitable

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Examples of profitable in a Sentence

The movie was very profitable. selling real estate on the side turned out to be a profitable venture for the stay-at-home mom
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Instead, Goldman economists suggest that Seoul try some more immediate solutions, like helping elderly Koreans unlock their housing wealth, and better distributing the windfall from the country’s super-profitable tech firms. — Mia Osmonbekov, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026 Many founders underestimate their business's true potential, especially stable, profitable ones. — Lien De Pau, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026 In 2025, The Information reported that Apple TV was Apple’s only service offering that wasn’t profitable, and, per an anonymous employee, it wasn’t expected to be so for at least its first 10 years. — Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 28 Aug. 2026 International flights often carry a high premium compared with domestic routes — and the planes serving them generally have more luxurious seats on board, which can be more profitable for airlines. — Michele Luhn, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for profitable

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of profitable was in the 14th century

Rhymes for profitable

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Browse Nearby Words

profitability
profitable
profitableness
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Cite this Entry

“Profitable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/profitable. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

profitable

adjective
prof·​it·​able ˈpräf-ət-ə-bəl How to pronounce profitable (audio)
ˈpräf-tə-bəl
: producing profit
profitably
-blē How to pronounce profitable (audio)
adverb

Legal Definition

profitable

adjective
prof·​it·​able ˈprä-fə-tə-bəl How to pronounce profitable (audio)
: affording profits : yielding advantageous returns or results
profitability
ˌprä-fə-tə-ˈbi-lə-tē How to pronounce profitable (audio)
noun
profitableness noun
profitably adverb
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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