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

Budget carriers have been under pressure to go upmarket as larger rivals post revenue growth from the front of the cabin, upending discounters’ once-profitable model of no-frills seating and amenities. — Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 14 July 2026

But Cleary is far more profitable than Linklaters is, with profit per equity partner of more than $5 million last year. — Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 13 July 2026

But that demographic is overrepresented in our visual culture—these are faces acquired for the purpose of profitable display, often on screens—and so the desire to alter one’s face spreads rapidly. — Jia Tolentino, New Yorker, 11 July 2026

While Starlink's connectivity business is profitable, its average revenue per user is declining, forcing it to subsidize the cash-burning Space and AI divisions. — Peter Cohan, Forbes.com, 10 July 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