profuse

pro·fuse

adjective \prə-ˈfyüs, prō-\

Definition of PROFUSE

1

: pouring forth liberally : extravagant <profuse in their thanks>

2

: exhibiting great abundance : bountiful <a profuse harvest>

— pro·fuse·ly adverb

— pro·fuse·ness noun

Examples of PROFUSE

1. He offered profuse apologies for being late.
2. They were profuse in their thanks.

Origin of PROFUSE

Middle English, from Latin profusus, past participle of profundere to pour forth, from pro- forth + fundere to pour — more at found

First Known Use: 15th century

Related to PROFUSE

Synonyms

copious, galore, gushing, lavish, riotous

Antonyms

dribbling, trickling

Related Words

abounding, abundant, ample, bounteous, bountiful, liberal, plenteous, plentiful; extravagant, luxuriant; fat, fecund, fertile; free, munificent, openhanded, unsparing, unstinting; excessive, immoderate, redundant; adequate, complete, enough, sufficient

Near Antonyms

meager (or meagre), niggardly, poor, scant, scanty, spare, sparse, stingy; deficient, inadequate, incomplete, insufficient, lacking, scarce, unsatisfactory, wanting; bare, mere, minimal

Synonym Discussion of PROFUSE

profuse, lavish, prodigal, luxuriant, lush, exuberant mean giving or given out in great abundance. profuse implies pouring forth without restraint <profuse apologies>. lavish suggests an unstinted or unmeasured profusion <a lavish party>. prodigal implies reckless or wasteful lavishness threatening to lead to early exhaustion of resources <prodigal spending>. luxuriant suggests a rich and splendid abundance <a luxuriant beard>. lush suggests rich, soft luxuriance <a lush green lawn>. exuberant implies marked vitality or vigor in what produces abundantly <an exuberant imagination>.

Rhymes with PROFUSE

Aarhus, abstruse, abuse, adduce, Atreus, blue spruce, burnoose, caboose, Cayuse, Cepheus, ceruse, charmeuse, chartreuse, Chartreuse, conduce, couscous, cut loose, deduce, diffuse, disuse, educe, effuse, excuse, fair use, footloose, hang loose, induce, Lanús, misuse, mongoose, Morpheus, negus, obtuse, Orpheus, papoose, Peleus, Perseus, prepuce, produce, Proteus, Purus, recluse, red spruce, reduce, refuse, retuse, reuse, Sanctus, seduce, slip noose, snow goose, Tereus, Theseus, traduce, transduce, turn loose, unloose, vamoose