unprofitable

adjective

un·​prof·​it·​able ˌən-ˈprä-fə-tə-bəl How to pronounce unprofitable (audio)
-ˈpräf-tə-bəl
: not profitable : producing no gain, good, or result
an unprofitable venture
unprofitableness noun
unprofitably
ˌən-ˈprä-fə-tə-blē How to pronounce unprofitable (audio)
-ˈpräf-tə-bəl
adverb

Examples of unprofitable in a Sentence

an unprofitable effort to find the information
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Over the past decade, DER has restored multiple unprofitable bogs, including the Eel River Headwaters Restoration. Chelsea Torres, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2025 The company is currently unprofitable. Jordan Blum, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2025 The zombie companies made Japan’s economy less efficient and slower-growing, and left generations of Japanese working at unprofitable businesses. Allison Schrager, Mercury News, 16 Oct. 2025 More prosaically, the relative underperformance of the S & P Small Cap 600 (made up of profitable companies) to the small-cap Russell 2000 (where the majority are unprofitable) offers a nice impression of the race for more marginal names. Michael Santoli, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for unprofitable

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unprofitable was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unprofitable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unprofitable. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

unprofitable

adjective
un·​prof·​it·​able ˌən-ˈpräf-ət-ə-bəl How to pronounce unprofitable (audio)
-ˈpräf-tə-bəl,
ˈən-
: not profitable
unprofitably adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on unprofitable

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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