profit

American  

[prof-it] / ˈprɒf ɪt /

noun

• profits
  plural

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)

• profits,
  present (3rd person singular)
• profited,
  past participle,  past
• profiting
  present participle

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)

• profits,
  present (3rd person singular)
• profited,
  past participle,  past
• profiting
  present participle

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

Derived Forms

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

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• profits
  plural

Participles

• profiting
  present
• profited
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• profit
  simple
• profits
  simple
• have profited
  perfect
• has profited
  perfect
• am profiting
  progressive
• are profiting
  progressive
• is profiting
  progressive
• have been profiting
  perfect progressive
• has been profiting
  perfect progressive

Past

• profited
  simple
• had profited
  perfect
• was profiting
  progressive
• were profiting
  progressive
• had been profiting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will profit
  simple
• will have profited
  perfect
• will be profiting
  progressive
• will have been profiting
  perfect progressive

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” ( cf. fact); verb derivative of the noun

Explanation

A profit is money you make, as opposed to money you lose. Also, anything good profits you — it benefits you. When we talk about profits, we're talking about coming out ahead. Businesses need to make a profit — money — or they'll have to fire employees, cut expenses, and maybe go out of business entirely. If more money is coming in than going out, that's a profit. Profit also means a benefit. For example, you could profit from playing baseball even if you made no money from it. Getting exercise and fun would profit anybody quite a bit.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

profit profits profited profiting

Uber expects the catering platform, with average orders exceeding $400, to boost its profit margins.

From Barron's ● Oct. 6, 2026

According to prosecutors, Rush "fabricated a highly classified program to justify the acquisition of luxury real estate, which he then intended to sell for personal profit."

From Barron's ● Oct. 6, 2026

Under Törnqvist, Gunvor had a reputation for swooping in on deals that had the potential to help its traders earn more profit.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026

Lan said the sentence showed that unlicensed gambling was not a "victimless offence" and warned those who profit from it while ignoring safeguards designed to protect people "can expect to be brought before the courts".

From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026

Evan was never going to earn a hundred dollars with that kind of profit.

From "The Lemonade War" by Jacqueline Davies

New York’s securities industry is on track to bring in $90 billion in profits this year.

From Barron's ● Oct. 6, 2026

Sometimes it’s an urge to take profits after an exceedingly strong run or snag a bargain when markets are too pessimistic.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026

After all, the increase in corporate borrowing expenses can be expected to drive profits lower, and investors now have compelling choices to diversify into the bond market for attractive yields.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 2, 2026

Protesters chanted "shame on you" and "your profits, our misery", after the results were announced.

From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2026

By 2001, AIG FP, now being run by a fellow named Joe Cassano, could be counted on to generate $300 million a year, or 15 percent of AIG’s profits.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

Officers also established that the pair profited from the games by taking a commission from each poker hand, known within the industry as "the rake", rather than by directly wagering against players.

From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026

Collins has profited quite handsomely from her singular access to and conflict with power.

From Salon ● Jul. 29, 2026

“During a time when our community was meant to come together to help those in need, Langham Hotels Pacific Corporation profited from other people’s tragedies.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 2026

Many of his assets are held in a trust overseen by Donald Trump Jr. The president said Wednesday that he profited on his investment accounts in 2025 because stock markets rallied.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026

And this vision had had a certain hold even on the groups who actually profited by each historic change.

From "1984" by George Orwell

"To the gangs profiting from this disgraceful fraud: you will be prosecuted, stripped of your dirty money and shut down," she said.

From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026

At a news conference Wednesday, Newsom defended his plan, which also includes limiting the fees of attorneys in wildfire litigation and stopping hedge funds from profiting on the claims.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2026

A bull call spread involves purchasing a lower-strike VIX call and selling a higher-strike one with the aim of profiting if the index rises.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 25, 2026

The party said its aim was to stop delivery and gig economy companies profiting from illegal workers "without consequences".

From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026

I could explain it by arguing that profiting from a pitiful flying fish’s navigational mistake made me shy and sorrowful, while the excitement of actively capturing a great do­rado made me sanguinary and self-assured.

From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel

Related Words

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