productive

play

adjective pro·duc·tive \prə-ˈdək-tiv, prō-\

Definition of productive

1 : having the quality or power of producing especially in abundance productive fishing waters
2 : effective in bringing about investigating committees have been productive of much good — R. K. Carr
3a : yielding results, benefits, or profitsb : yielding or devoted to the satisfaction of wants or the creation of utilities
4 : continuing to be used in the formation of new words or constructions un- is a productive prefix
5 : raising mucus or sputum (as from the bronchi) a productive cough

productively

adverb

productiveness

noun

See productive defined for English-language learners

See productive defined for kids

Examples of productive in a Sentence

I had a very productive day.
I am most productive in the morning.
Some staff members are more productive than others.

Recent Examples of productive from the Web

The other way edtech can aid learning is by making schools more productive.

— The Economist, "Education technologyTogether, technology and teachers can revamp schools," 22 July 2017
Some backs are simply more productive without a fullback and scouts believed ex-Bear Matt Forte was in that category.

— brad biggs, chicagotribune.com, "Throwback to fullback in Bears offense? Could be up to Michael Burton," 11 July 2017
He's hit .234, but has been a productive offensive player thanks to a .333 on-base percentage and .459 slugging percentage.

— zach buchanan, Cincinnati.com, "Reds' Mesoraco injures surgically repaired shoulder," 5 July 2017
Two-and-done college players, selected outside of the top five, tend to play longer, make more money during their careers and be slightly more productive on the court than their one-and-done counterparts.

— gary bedore, kansascity.com, "KU notebook: Keenan Fitzmorris of St. James Academy chooses Stanford," 4 July 2017
Consider the following pointers toward a more productive presentation at the hearing, and to help avoid wasting the valuable opportunity the hearing provides.

— kelly g. richardson, sandiegouniontribune.com, "HOA Homefront: What to do when you get a notice for a board hearing," 1 July 2017
Locals describe them as the clam wars, with two sides waging a public battle for decades over rights and practices in Oyster Bay Harbor, which remains the most productive shellfishing habitat in New York State.

— corey kilgannon, New York Times, "Claims Over Shellfish Fuel a Battle in the Bay," 30 June 2017
While some farms have scaled back in recent months, hens have gotten more productive, keeping the market flush with supply.

— sydney maki, Bloomberg.com, "Bring on the Omelets: Bigger Flocks Send Egg Price to Decade-Low," 28 June 2017
The Lori Brener Scholarship was created in memory of Lori Brener, a Big Brothers Big Sisters volunteer, and the daughter of Miriam Salazar, a chairwoman of the fund, to help students continue their education and become productive members of society.

— adrianne richardson, miamiherald, "Miami-Dade Homeless Trust names winners in 2017 poster and essay contest," 27 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'productive.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.