profit

American  

[prof-it] / ˈprɒf ɪt /

noun

1. Often profits.

   1. pecuniary gain resulting from the employment of capital in any transaction.

   2. the ratio of such pecuniary gain to the amount of capital invested.

   3. returns, proceeds, or revenue, as from property or investments.

   Synonyms:

   return

   Antonyms:

   loss

2. the monetary surplus left to a producer or employer after deducting wages, rent, cost of raw materials, etc..

   The company works on a small margin of profit.

   Synonyms:

   net income

3. advantage; benefit; gain.

   Synonyms:

   worth, use, avail, good

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verb (used without object)

1. to gain an advantage or benefit.

   He profited greatly from his schooling.

2. to make a profit.

3. to take advantage.

   to profit from the weaknesses of others.

4. to be of service or benefit.

5. to make progress.

verb (used with object)

1. to be of advantage or profit to.

   Nothing profits one so much as a sound education.

   Synonyms:

   help, advance

profit British  

/ ˈprɒfɪt /

noun

1. (often plural) excess of revenues over outlays and expenses in a business enterprise over a given period of time, usually a year

2. the monetary gain derived from a transaction

3. 1. income derived from property or an investment, as contrasted with capital gains

   2. the ratio of this income to the investment or principal

4. economics

   1. the income or reward accruing to a successful entrepreneur and held to be the motivating factor of all economic activity in a capitalist economy

   2. ( as modifier )

      the profit motive

5. a gain, benefit, or advantage

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verb

1. to gain or cause to gain profit

Usage

What are other ways to say profit? A profit is a gain or valuable return. How does it differ from an advantage or a benefit? Find out on Thesaurus.com. 

Other Word Forms

• profiter noun
• profitless adjective
• profitlessly adverb
• profitlessness noun
• proprofit adjective
• self-profit noun
• unprofited adjective
• unprofiting adjective

Etymology

Origin of profit

First recorded in 1250–1300; (for the noun) Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin prōfectus “progress, profit,” noun use of past participle of prōficere “to make progress,” from prō- pro- ¹ + -ficere, combining form of facere “to do, make” ( fact ); verb derivative of the noun

Example Sentences

The profit forecast includes a $300 million benefit from the oil refinery in Pennsylvania that Delta bought in 2012.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

However, chemicals and products-refining margins will be better than expected, as will its trading profit.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 8, 2026

The U.S. importer of Modelo and Corona beers on Wednesday posted a profit of $201.8 million, or $1.16 a share, compared with a loss of $375.3 million, or $2.09 a share, a year earlier.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

Samsung Electronics anticipates an over eightfold increase in Q1 operating profit to 57.200 trillion won, driven by memory-chip demand.

From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026

Tobacco grew well in Virginia and sold well in England, and finally there was hope that the colony would make a profit for the Virginia Company of London.

From "Blood on the River" by Elisa Carbone

Related Words

• acquisition
• benefit
• bottom line
• earnings
• goods
• harvest
• income
• interest
• output
• percentage
• proceeds
• product
• production
• receipt
• return
• revenue
• saving
• surplus
• turnout
• value