fruitful

adjective

fruit·​ful ˈfrüt-fəl 

1

a

: yielding or producing fruit

fruitful soil

b

: conducive to an abundant yield

fruitful rain

2

: abundantly productive

a fruitful discussion

a fruitful career

fruitfully

ˈfrüt-fə-lē 

adverb

fruitfulness noun

Synonyms

• fertile
• prolific
• rich

Choose the Right Synonym for fruitful

fertile, fecund, fruitful, prolific mean producing or capable of producing offspring or fruit.

fertile implies the power to reproduce in kind or to assist in reproduction and growth

fertile soil

; applied figuratively, it suggests readiness of invention and development.

a fertile imagination

fecund emphasizes abundance or rapidity in bearing fruit or offspring.

a fecund herd

fruitful adds to fertile and fecund the implication of desirable or useful results.

fruitful research

prolific stresses rapidity of spreading or multiplying by or as if by natural reproduction.

a prolific writer

Examples of fruitful in a Sentence

We had a fruitful discussion about the problems with the schedule.

a very fruitful tree that gives us plenty of apples every year

Recent Examples on the Web

Four years later, Landau became his full-time manager, starting a long and fruitful creative partnership. —Jake Kring-Schreifels, Time, 24 Oct. 2025

According to Martha Stewart’s site, thrift stores can be a fruitful place to find a unique gown, and even offer sustainability benefits. —Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Oct. 2025

From 1970 until his retirement in 2006, Laurence worked at the Union-Tribune as a journalist, first briefly covering news, sports and music before settling into a long and fruitful career as a TV critic. —Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Oct. 2025

Brandon Aiyuk’s return isn’t imminent, nor is it guaranteed to be fruitful. —Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 17 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English fruitful, fruiteful, frutefull, from fruit, frute fruit entry 1 + -ful, -full -ful entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing fruitful

• self-fruitful

Rhymes for fruitful

• unfruitful

Kids Definition

fruitful

adjective

fruit·​ful ˈfrüt-fəl 

1

: yielding or producing fruit

2

a

: very productive

a fruitful soil

b

: bringing results

a fruitful idea

fruitfully

-fə-lē 

adverb

fruitfulness noun