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

Francona came out of a one-year retirement to manage the Cincinnati Reds after a long, fruitful career with the Philadelphia Phillies, Boston Red Sox, and Cleveland Guardians. —Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Aug. 2025

Gonzalo's enjoyed a fruitful career in the decades since Freaky Friday's release, with notable turns on Veronica Mars (2006–2007), Dallas (2012–2014), and Supergirl (2019–2021). —Randall Colburn, EW.com, 9 Aug. 2025

Berg chronicles this fruitful period by interviewing producer Andy Wallace and string arranger Karl Berger, the latter of whom was specifically requested by Buckely for his work with jazz greats like Ornette Coleman and Dave Brubeck. —Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 6 Aug. 2025

And while the annual marquee event of the Kentucky Derby held under the iconic twin spires at Churchill Downs Racetrack, 700 Central Ave., in Louisville proved fruitful for the company, the second quarter of 2025 brought some disruption as well. —Olivia Evans, The Courier-Journal, 24 July 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