profuse
Americanadjective
-
spending or giving freely and in large amount, often to excess; extravagant (often followed byin ).
profuse praise.
- Antonyms:
- thrifty
-
made or done freely and abundantly.
profuse apologies.
-
abundant; in great amount.
adjective
-
plentiful, copious, or abundant
profuse compliments
-
(often foll by in) free or generous in the giving (of)
profuse in thanks
Synonym Usage
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of profuse
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Latin profūsus, past participle of profundere “to pour out or forth”; see pro- 1, fuse 2
Explanation
Profuse is a word for a lot of something or even way too much — a profuse rainfall is a serious amount of rain. This word has to do with extravagance or abundance. If you're bleeding profusely, you're bleeding a lot. If you lavish profuse gifts on your pet, you might have too much money on your hands. When you give someone profuse praise, you're probably laying it on a little thick. If you’re a farmer and your crops are profuse, that’s great because you have a lot of crops. Anything profuse is happening in great amounts.
Vocabulary lists containing profuse
Paradise Lost
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
An Essay on Criticism
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Orlando: A Biography
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
But two hours and a profuse apology later, one council member said that not only a council president had been chosen, but a prime minister as well.
From Seattle Times • Apr. 30, 2024
When K-pop star Karina posted a handwritten apology on Instagram earlier in March, it was both contrite and profuse.
From BBC • Mar. 23, 2024
Their results demonstrated that the increase in biomass was due to improved photosynthesis and a delicate balancing of life cycle transition between diffuse and profuse growth depending on nitrogen and carbon availability.
From Science Daily • Nov. 14, 2023
"We are shocked by how profuse the material is," said Marcos Cohen from the Delegation of Argentine Israelite Associations, the Jewish group acting as plaintiff in the process.
From Reuters • Sep. 13, 2023
The next day, September 19, almost two weeks after coming to Elberon, Garfield had an intense chill and a coughing spell, followed by profuse perspiration.
From "Ambushed!" by Gail Jarrow
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.
