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Synonym Chooser

How is the word fruitful distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of fruitful are fecund, fertile, and prolific. While all these words mean "producing or capable of producing offspring or fruit," fruitful adds to fertile and fecund the implication of desirable or useful results.

fruitful research

When is fecund a more appropriate choice than fruitful?

The words fecund and fruitful can be used in similar contexts, but fecund emphasizes abundance or rapidity in bearing fruit or offspring.

a fecund herd

In what contexts can fertile take the place of fruitful?

In some situations, the words fertile and fruitful are roughly equivalent. However, fertile implies the power to reproduce in kind or to assist in reproduction and growth; applied figuratively, it suggests readiness of invention and development.

fertile soil
a fertile imagination

When would prolific be a good substitute for fruitful?

The meanings of prolific and fruitful largely overlap; however, prolific stresses rapidity of spreading or multiplying by or as if by natural reproduction.

a prolific writer

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of fruitful The first three, candidly speaking, were not that fruitful. Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 9 June 2025 Lifting sanctions was the first pivotal step toward a stable, fruitful post-Assad transition in Syria. Natasha Hall, Foreign Affairs, 27 May 2025 If the Campbell experiment does not prove fruitful, and Devers does not come around to help the team, Parades may be the best fit for the Red Sox lineup -- especially coming with the chance to unleash Anthony on the rest of Major League Baseball. Hunter Mulholland, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 May 2025 That move proved fruitful in Game 4 as Perry recorded two points in that situation. Eric Stephens, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for fruitful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fruitful
Adjective
  • Between the draft and July 1 is fertile ground for those of you who enjoy seeing movement around the league.
    Josh Yohe, New York Times, 17 June 2025
  • Demographics of Los Angeles show its a fertile ground for anti-ICE protests Palpable fear and pain On the same day Hernandez shared his grief with USA TODAY, 700 U.S. Marines arrived in Los Angeles.
    Terry Collins, USA Today, 13 June 2025
Adjective
  • An efficient storage system is a cost-effective storage system.
    Eric Herzog, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025
  • But during the transition Ramaswamy and Musk increasingly disagreed about how to make the government more efficient.
    Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 16 June 2025
Adjective
  • Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is a game that was developed by legendary developer Level-5 with art and character design from the most prolific anime studio on earth, Studio Ghibli.
    Oliver Brandt, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 June 2025
  • Among this year’s marquee guests is prolific director Kiyoshi Kurosawa, who will receive the 2025 Cut Above Award for outstanding achievement in film.
    Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 10 June 2025
Adjective
  • Podcasts are also an effective vehicle for incubating ideas that can be expanded in media such as TV, film and books, and for allowing promising talent to develop.
    Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 16 June 2025
  • And the consistency of our time together — especially when school is out and there’s space for deeper connection — is one of the most effective ways to support her through them.
    Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 16 June 2025
Adjective
  • In 2020, an extensive research review found that a diet rich in spicy peppers was associated with less obesity, heart disease, and diabetes risk.
    Matt Fuchs, Time, 17 June 2025
  • China’s lunar program, Chang’e, has successfully landed multiple robotic missions and plans to build a research base near the lunar south pole—an area rich in water ice and potentially helium-3, a rare isotope that could revolutionize energy production through nuclear fusion.
    Avery Padraic Kerrigan, Hartford Courant, 17 June 2025
Adjective
  • This is exactly the productive, surly, still-in-his-prime player this team needs down the middle.
    Scott Powers, New York Times, 14 June 2025
  • Since the start of June, the Padres offense has been one of baseball’s least productive units.
    Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Fruitful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fruitful. Accessed 27 Jun. 2025.

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