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” ( 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

JD has logistics credibility, but its push raises questions about how much profit it will sacrifice for relevance in local services.

From Barron's • May 23, 2026

The city attorney has aggressively prosecuted and sued those seeking to profit off wildfire victims, winning a $1.2-million settlement against another rental company in a price-gouging suit this week.

From Los Angeles Times • May 23, 2026

Investors could choose to flip their stock for a quick profit, sending shares quickly below the opening price.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 23, 2026

They take our data, our time and our attention, and then turn around and monetize it, selling it for profit to ensure that we continue to fund their wives’ frivolous trips into space.

From Salon • May 22, 2026

But it was better farming methods I counted on to turn a profit.

From "Cold Sassy Tree" by Olive Ann Burns

Related Words

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