as in lucrative
yielding a profit
graduated from school and went looking for gainful employment
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gainful
Additionally, the bill would repeal regulations for schools like the gainful employment rule, which requires institutions to demonstrate their educational offerings are sufficient to help students land well-paying jobs.
—
Kamaron McNair, CNBC, 2 June 2025
Yesterday’s pangrams were gainful, unfailing and unflagging.
—Julia Jacobs, New York Times, 19 May 2025
Or workers could simply have given up on Martinsville and moved elsewhere in search of gainful employment.
—Gordon H. Hanson, Foreign Affairs, 20 Apr. 2021
Her husband takes a stab at gainful employment with a food delivery service but quits because the wealthier class of Singaporean customers prove fussy and prone to complaining.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for gainful
Kamaron McNair, CNBC, 2 June 2025
Yesterday’s pangrams were gainful, unfailing and unflagging.
—Julia Jacobs, New York Times, 19 May 2025
Or workers could simply have given up on Martinsville and moved elsewhere in search of gainful employment.
—Gordon H. Hanson, Foreign Affairs, 20 Apr. 2021
Her husband takes a stab at gainful employment with a food delivery service but quits because the wealthier class of Singaporean customers prove fussy and prone to complaining.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for gainful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gainful
Adjective
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When combined with the store’s credit card, deals can be even more lucrative.—
Liz Knueven,Ryley Amond,
CNBC,
11 Apr. 2026
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Peterson, however, says this would worsen the area’s housing challenges by taking away units from the long-term rentals market, as landlords may find shorter deals more lucrative.—
Adam Crafton,
New York Times,
10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Convenience store gas sales are not as profitable as bringing people inside from the pumps.—
Mead Gruver,
Fortune,
11 Apr. 2026
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In 1949, Arthur Miller envisioned the American Dream as a kind of spiritual opioid crisis — a profitable system of addiction, this one to a beautiful lie, that was literally killing people.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Bled is a great jumping-off point for a car trip through the Julian Alps, and a wide variety of other worthwhile side-trips are right at its doorstep.—
Tribune Content Agency,
Baltimore Sun,
8 Apr. 2026
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Dietitian Molly Snyder, RDN, has named them among the most worthwhile foods to add in 2026.—
Allison Palmer,
Kansas City Star,
8 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gainful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gainful. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
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