nonprofit

American  

[non-prof-it] / nɒnˈprɒf ɪt /

adjective

1. not established for the purpose of making a profit; not entered into for money.

   a nonprofit institution.

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noun

nonprofits plural

1. a nonprofit organization, institution, corporation, or other entity.

nonprofit British  

/ nɒnˈprɒfɪt /

adjective

1. another word for non-profit-making

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noun

1. an organization that is not intended to make a profit

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• nonprofits
  plural

Etymology

Origin of nonprofit

First recorded in 1900–05; non- + profit

Compare meaning

How does nonprofit compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• nonprofit vs. not-for-profit
• for-profit vs. nonprofit

Explanation

A business or organization is nonprofit if its main purpose isn't making money for its owners. Nonprofit companies usually raise money for charities. You can use the word nonprofit as an adjective or a noun — a nonprofit is an organization that benefits some public good, rather than raising revenue for stockholders or owners. There are educational nonprofits, religious nonprofits, public health nonprofits, and many others. The word's been around since the 1920s, combining non, or "not," with profit, from the Latin root profectus, "advance, increase, success, or progress."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

nonprofit nonprofits

Kansas, Kentucky, Georgia and Montana have passed legislation in the past few years making it easier for donors to take legal action against nonprofit organizations, including colleges, that use restricted gifts outside the intended terms.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026

“It is a bit vindicating to see this happen in the wild,” said Jeffrey Ladish, executive director of Palisade Research, a nonprofit AI lab that studies AI capabilities to better understand risks.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 1, 2026

Infantino has never been shy about pushing boundaries despite heading a Swiss-based organization that, its wealth notwithstanding, is officially a nonprofit.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 1, 2026

Philip Hackney, a nonprofit law professor at the University of Pittsburgh and former IRS official, said the absence of an independent review creates its own legal exposure.

From Salon ● Aug. 1, 2026

The nonprofit Pew Charitable Trusts reports that prison populations in at least ten states are expected to increase by 25 percent or more between 2006 and 2011.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander

“It should be an amount paid out at some point, and that would show up in a 990,” he said, referencing the name of the tax return filed by nonprofits, which is public.

From Salon ● Aug. 1, 2026

The IRS asks nonprofits whether their executive compensation was reviewed by independent people and if they used comparisons to other similar organizations — a standard safeguard against self-dealing.

From Salon ● Aug. 1, 2026

When Rams coach Sean McVay delivered the news to members of the nonprofits at Rams training camp Monday, kids’ jaws dropped as the group broke into applause.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026

Many nonprofits reported that they are struggling with tight budgets, making it difficult to meet the growing needs of their communities, the Boston Fed said.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 15, 2026

She’s also an apprentice grant writer for “a handful” of nonprofits, and she’s the VP of her university’s Pride organization.

From "Odd One Out" by Nic Stone

Related Words

• unsuccessful
• worthless