profitable

adjective

prof·​it·​able ˈprä-fə-tə-bəl 

ˈpräf-tə-bəl

: affording profits : yielding advantageous returns or results

profitability

ˌprä-fə-tə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

profitableness

ˈprä-fə-tə-bəl-nəs 

noun

profitably

ˈprä-fə-tə-blē 

adverb

Synonyms of profitable

• lucrative
• worthwhile

Examples of profitable in a Sentence

The movie was very profitable.

selling real estate on the side turned out to be a profitable venture for the stay-at-home mom

Recent Examples on the Web

On a per-range basis, a customer will be able to buy a fourth-gen GM EV for less money than a competitor’s profitable model without relying on subsidies. — Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 27 Oct. 2026

The company decided to concentrate on its more profitable beverage and snack businesses. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Oct. 2026

Maeda said that Rakuten Medical’s Japan branch is profitable, though the global entity operates at a loss due to high research spending. — Angelica Ang, Fortune, 26 Oct. 2026

Lionel Mestre, partner at French private equity firm Weinberg Capital Partners, told CNBC his firm still focuses on profitable defense businesses with established products, customers and positive cash flow, rather than early-stage startups. — Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 26 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for profitable

• unprofitable

Kids Definition

profitable

adjective

prof·​it·​able ˈpräf-ət-ə-bəl 

ˈpräf-tə-bəl

: producing profit

profitably

-blē 

adverb

Legal Definition

profitable

adjective

prof·​it·​able ˈprä-fə-tə-bəl 

: affording profits : yielding advantageous returns or results

profitability

ˌprä-fə-tə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

profitableness noun

profitably adverb