profitable
Americanadjective
-
yielding profit; remunerative.
a profitable deal.
-
beneficial or useful.
- Synonyms:
- helpful, valuable, advantageous
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of profitable
Explanation
Things that are profitable make money or are beneficial in other ways. Businesses hope to be profitable in the financial sense, but a profitable relationship is one that's good for everyone involved. Profitable started out as a word to describe anything useful, but it hooked up with finance in the mid-1700s. Profits are measured in money earned beyond expenses, so profitable businesses or transactions make money. A busy restaurant, sold-out concert, and best-selling book are all profitable. People also use this word for situations that are good in ways that don’t involve money. If you learned a lot from something, then it was a profitable experience, even if you didn't make any cash.
Vocabulary lists containing profitable
Content Summary 4.1: Causes and Consequences of Iberian Maritime Exploration and Colonialism
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From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
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Business, List 3
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In February, the board pivoted and entered negotiations with Sunrise Senior Living, whose proposal is more profitable, has a faster timeline and provides more space for community amenities, according to the district.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 9, 2026
In recent years, much of the earnings and investor distribution has come from highly profitable technology companies.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 9, 2026
Interpol Secretary Valdecy Urquiza said human trafficking remained "one of the most profitable and pervasive forms" of organised crimes, generating billions in illicit revenue each year.
From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026
McDonald’s said that Krispy Kreme represented a small part of its breakfast business, and that the doughnuts were profitable for franchisees and the company.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026
For many of the lines, these short trips were even more profitable than their ocean crossings.
From "1919 The Year That Changed America" by Martin W. Sandler
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
