unprofitable

adjective

un·​prof·​it·​able ˌən-ˈprä-fə-tə-bəl 

-ˈpräf-tə-bəl

: not profitable : producing no gain, good, or result

an unprofitable venture

unprofitableness noun

unprofitably

ˌən-ˈprä-fə-tə-blē 

-ˈpräf-tə-blē

adverb

Synonyms of unprofitable

• unsuccessful
• futile
• useless

Examples of unprofitable in a Sentence

an unprofitable effort to find the information

Recent Examples on the Web

Traditional banks have long neglected small businesses, especially solopreneurs, viewing them as unprofitable and making basic services like account opening cumbersome. — Boaz Sobrado, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026

Fraser turned around the struggling bank by paring back its global footprint and cutting unprofitable units. — Michelle Fox, CNBC, 6 Aug. 2026

Lilith Fair was a groundbreaking, all-female music festival, founded in 1997 by singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan, challenging the notion that female artists were unprofitable and couldn’t draw large crowds. — Meredith Wilshere, PEOPLE, 19 July 2026

Digital services taxes are structured such that governments can collect revenue from large companies that operate online — even if the business is unprofitable. — Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN Money, 26 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for unprofitable

• profitable

Kids Definition

unprofitable

adjective

un·​prof·​it·​able ˌən-ˈpräf-ət-ə-bəl 

-ˈpräf-tə-bəl, 

ˈən-

: not profitable

unprofitably

-blē 

adverb