fruitful

[froot-fuhl]

adjective

1. producing good results; beneficial; profitable.

   fruitful investigations.

   Antonyms: barren

2. abounding in fruit, as trees or other plants; bearing fruit abundantly.

3. producing an abundant growth, as of fruit.

   fruitful soil; fruitful rain.

fruitful

/ ˈfruːtfʊl /

adjective

1. bearing fruit in abundance

2. productive or prolific, esp in bearing offspring

3. causing or assisting prolific growth

4. producing results or profits

   a fruitful discussion

Other Word Forms

• fruitfully adverb
• fruitfulness noun
• overfruitful adjective
• overfruitfully adverb
• overfruitfulness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of fruitful¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English; fruit + -ful

Synonym Study

See productive.

Example Sentences

There are more fruitful approaches to conversation than merely trying to best someone in an argument by deploying buzzwords or “gotcha!” moments.

From Salon

Again by the end of another fruitful season, she was packing her bags and Batlle y Font was receiving enquiries from multiple clubs in Europe.

From BBC

By last weekend, the two sides reached a breakthrough and the tenor of discussions turned more fruitful.

From Los Angeles Times

For the individual creators and their companies, the investment in the Emmys race could lead to new or more fruitful relationships with advertisers and sponsors.

From Los Angeles Times

It’s a lot easier than policing, polygraphing and punishing your own employees, and much more fruitful than endless, expensive, demoralizing investigations.

From Salon

Related Words

• advantageous 
• beneficial 
• conducive 
• effective 
• profitable 
• rewarding 
• successful 
• useful 
• worthwhile