prolific
adjective
pro·lif·ic
prə-ˈli-fik 
1
: marked by abundant inventiveness or productivity
a prolific composer
And over the course of her prolific career, [Alice] Walker has gone on to write over 40 genre-spanning books.—
Rayna Reid Rayford
Rayna Reid Rayford2
: producing young or fruit especially freely : fruitful
The half-inch blooms are round and prolific, borne atop leafy stems.—Adrian Higgins
Adrian Higgins3
archaic
: causing abundant growth, generation, or reproduction
Examples of prolific in a Sentence
Since [David] Mamet is a prolific writer of Hollywood screenplays, there are today more people who know his work than know that they know it.
—Juliet Fleming, Times Literary Supplement, 18 Feb. 2000
The main rival to his pneumonia was the prolific thrush which went into his throat and stomach.
—Irvine Welsh, Trainspotting, 1993
A writer as established and prolific as Joyce Carol Oates can approach her material in a wealth of ways unavailable to the more plodding.
—Jane Smiley, New York Times Book Review, 5 May 1991
Here there are … restaurants, wine bars, bookshops, estate agents more prolific than doctors, and attractive people in black, few of them aging.
—Hanif Kureishi, Granta 22, Autumn 1987
a famously prolific author who could produce several works of fiction and nonfiction a year
Juliet Fleming, Times Literary Supplement, 18 Feb. 2000
The main rival to his pneumonia was the prolific thrush which went into his throat and stomach.
—Irvine Welsh, Trainspotting, 1993
A writer as established and prolific as Joyce Carol Oates can approach her material in a wealth of ways unavailable to the more plodding.
—Jane Smiley, New York Times Book Review, 5 May 1991
Here there are … restaurants, wine bars, bookshops, estate agents more prolific than doctors, and attractive people in black, few of them aging.
—Hanif Kureishi, Granta 22, Autumn 1987
a famously prolific author who could produce several works of fiction and nonfiction a year
Recent Examples on the Web
Lino Sousa, Kadan Young, Kane Taylor and Luka Lynch have all recently returned to fitness and will seek loans, while Rory Wilson — the prolific goalscorer at youth level — is aiming to experience senior football for the first time with a six-month temporary move in January.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 2 Dec. 2025
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were once prolific litigants and between them have sued Associated Newspapers, the publisher of , alone of four times.
—Jack Royston, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Nov. 2025
His work is known for its prolific use of history and comedy, often at the same time, as a foundation for answering philosophical questions about life and art.
—Richard Hall, Time, 29 Nov. 2025
He's been especially prolific on TV, with roles on TNT's Men of a Certain Age (2009–2011), the CW's Beauty & the Beast (2012–2013), and ABC's Scandal (2015).
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prolific
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 2 Dec. 2025
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were once prolific litigants and between them have sued Associated Newspapers, the publisher of , alone of four times.
—Jack Royston, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Nov. 2025
His work is known for its prolific use of history and comedy, often at the same time, as a foundation for answering philosophical questions about life and art.
—Richard Hall, Time, 29 Nov. 2025
He's been especially prolific on TV, with roles on TNT's Men of a Certain Age (2009–2011), the CW's Beauty & the Beast (2012–2013), and ABC's Scandal (2015).
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prolific
Cite this Entry
“Prolific.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prolific. Accessed 6 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
prolific
adjective
pro·lif·ic
prə-ˈlif-ik
1
: producing young or fruit in large numbers
a prolific orchard
2
: highly inventive : productive
a prolific writer
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share