for-profit

adjective

for-prof·​it ˈfȯr-ˈprä-fət 

: established, maintained, or conducted for the purpose of making a profit

for-profit businesses

Examples of for-profit in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The fund will operate as a nonprofit but include a for-profit subsidiary to accept investment. —Ana Castelain, Bloomberg, 28 Jan. 2026

OpenAI now sports a $500 billion valuation, and completed a recapitalization in October that cemented its future as a for-profit business under the umbrella of a nonprofit. —Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 27 Jan. 2026

According to the indictment, Cuellar devised the scheme to operate a for-profit business with resources from the county sheriff's office without reimbursing the county. —Arkansas Online, 24 Jan. 2026

The Hub brings early-stage organizations, both nonprofit and for-profit, into three-month cohorts and pairs them with Georgetown experts across psychiatry, psychology, pediatrics, public health, social work, and developmental science. —Afdhel Aziz, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1939, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for for-profit

• nonprofit
• profit
• prophet
• soffit

Kids Definition

for-profit

adjective

for-prof·​it

ˈfȯr-ˈpräf-ət

: existing or carried on for the purpose of making a profit

for-profit business