plentiful

[plen-ti-fuhl]

adjective

1. existing in great plenty.

   Coal was plentiful, and therefore cheap, in that region.

   Antonyms: scanty, sparse

2. yielding abundantly.

   a plentiful source of inspiration.

   Synonyms: luxuriant, productive, bounteous, fruitful
   Antonyms: sterile, fruitless, barren

plentiful

/ ˈplɛntɪfʊl /

adjective

1. ample; abundant

2. having or yielding an abundance

   a plentiful year

Other Word Forms

• plentifully adverb
• plentifulness noun
• overplentiful adjective
• overplentifully adverb
• overplentifulness noun
• quasi-plentiful adjective
• quasi-plentifully adverb
• unplentiful adjective
• unplentifully adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of plentiful¹

A late Middle English word dating back to 1425–75; plenty, -ful

Synonym Study

Plentiful, ample, abundant, bountiful describe a more than adequate supply of something. Plentiful suggests an over-adequate quantity: a plentiful supply. Ample suggests a more than adequate quality as well: to give ample praise. Abundant implies a greater degree of plenty, and bountiful a still more ample quality as well: an abundant, even a bountiful, harvest.

Example Sentences

Even as the labor market has softened, healthcare jobs have stayed plentiful: People spend on healthcare in good times and bad, and thus far, the ability to change bedpans and insert IVs hasn’t been automated.

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Games start on time and security is plentiful and helpful for first-time visitors.

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The archival footage is plentiful and a treat: Country legends Merle Travis and Grandpa Jones are seen in their virtual infancy.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The think tank Conference Board’s labor differential, the share of survey respondents who say jobs are plentiful minus the share who say jobs are hard to get, fell in September.

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But getting there wasn’t easy, as he had to battle competition for limited seats in one of the highest-demand fields in higher education, a career offering purpose, plentiful jobs and potentially six-figure paychecks.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• ample 
• bountiful 
• fertile 
• generous 
• productive 
• prolific 
• sufficient 
• unlimited